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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: pitch · firm · roll · bowl · craft · bark · shower · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. roll — a list
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. shower — to wash
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bark — to shout
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. shower — rain
  16. firm — decided
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pitch — completely
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. firm — a company

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