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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 · rock · mate · stick · calf · stand · game · jam

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rock — music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. game — wild animals
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rock — a stone
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mate — to breed
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. game — a match
  23. mate — a friend
  24. jam — a tight spot

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