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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: mouse · field · calf · pitch · scale · ruler · cap · stand

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. field — for sport
  10. stand — to bear
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pitch — completely
  13. field — a subject
  14. cap — of ice
  15. scale — in music
  16. field — farmland
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. calf — a young animal

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