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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: toast · mug · row · spring · calf · present · pitch · dip

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. present — there
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitch — completely
  8. present — the time now
  9. spring — the season
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. present — a gift
  13. spring — a coil
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. toast — bread
  16. mug — a face
  17. row — a line
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. row — to paddle
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. spring — of water

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