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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: ruler · fan · bulb · rest · calf · pitcher · lean · pitch

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lean — thin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rest — a break
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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