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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: pitch · calf · fork · foot · pitcher · hide · nail · trunk

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fork — in a road
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. foot — a measure
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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