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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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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: bear · calf · pit · degree · leaves · nail · pitch · fork

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. degree — from a university
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fork — in a road
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bear — the animal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bear — to put up with

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