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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: dip · prune · pitch · calf · stick · net · lean · bowl

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pitch — completely
  3. net — for catching
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lean — to bend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — thin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. net — after costs
  24. bowl — to roll

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