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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: calf · net · march · trunk · track · rush · foot · pitcher

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. march — the month
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — a song
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. track — to keep track
  15. net — for catching
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. net — in sport
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. march — music
  21. net — after costs
  22. track — a path
  23. rush — hurry
  24. trunk — of a car

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