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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: row · safe · pitch · mug · chest · leaves · club · calf

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. row — a line
  5. mug — a face
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chest — of your body
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. club — for golf
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. club — a group
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. club — for dancing

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