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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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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: calf · fall · file · snap · roll · jam · pitch · cap

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fall — to drop
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cap — of ice
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cap — a lid
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. roll — a list
  13. file — a document
  14. cap — a hat
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fall — the season
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. fall — to drop
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a tool
  21. snap — to click
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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