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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · suit · calf · racket · pitcher · ball · straw · net

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pit — a hole
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ball — a great time
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. net — for catching
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. net — after costs
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. net — in sport

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