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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 · calf · band · craft · roll · kid · cabinet · patient

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kid — to tease
  5. band — a ring
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. pitch — completely
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. band — a music group
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. craft — boats
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kid — child
  24. roll — a cake

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