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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: coach · pit · pitch · date · calf · net · fall · pound

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. date — the fruit
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. net — for catching
  10. fall — to drop
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fall — the season
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — a weight
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pitch — completely
  21. net — after costs
  22. pit — in a race
  23. net — in sport
  24. pit — a hole

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