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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · pass · can · pitch · straw · cabinet · calf · firm

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. can — to be able to
  4. firm — steady
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — decided
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. firm — a company
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com