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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: stick · calf · toast · cap · mate · pitch · stock · cue

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. toast — bread
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cue — for pool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stock — goods
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cap — a hat

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