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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: pitch · mug · calf · stick · spring · ground · prune · chip

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mug — a face
  6. ground — crushed
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chip — for betting
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — completely
  15. spring — a coil
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. spring — of water
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — a young animal

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