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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 · key · date · can · calf · pitch · court · stand

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. court — of law
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. court — for sport
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. can — to be able to
  10. key — in music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. can — a tin
  13. date — the fruit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. key — for a lock
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. court — of a king

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