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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 120 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: track · snap · calf · craft · racket · fall · pitch · lean

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. craft — boats
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fall — to drop
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fall — the season
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. track — a path
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. track — to keep track
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fall — to drop
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. calf — of the leg

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