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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 · root · mine · can · fan · chip · cell · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cell — in biology
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. root — of a word
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mine — for digging
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chip — to eat

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