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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · pitch · saw · lean · ball · pound · bat · calf

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. lean — thin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lean — to bend
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pitch — completely
  21. object — an aim
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. object — a thing

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