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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: calf · dip · pitch · wind · coach · band · foot · march

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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. pitch — completely
  4. march — music
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. march — the month
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. march — the month
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. foot — a measure
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wind — moving air

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