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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 120 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: calf · chip · straw · foot · pitch · fine · land · bass

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. chip — for betting
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bass — the fish
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. land — a country
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fine — all right
  15. land — ground
  16. fine — high quality
  17. chip — to eat
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bass — low music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. foot — a measure
  23. land — to come down
  24. calf — a young animal

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