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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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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: cue · cabinet · calf · bark · pitcher · hand · rock · pitch

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. hand — help
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rock — music
  19. pitch — completely
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bark — to shout
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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