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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: pitcher · calf · sharp · bank · chip · pitch · ground · pound

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. bank — of a river
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pitch — completely
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chip — to eat
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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