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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: calf · nail · pitch · fork · tube · rock · rush · mine

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mine — for digging
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. fork — in a road
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rock — music
  24. mine — an explosive

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