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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: roll · pit · firm · pitch · lash · ground · fork · calf

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ground — a position
  4. roll — a list
  5. ground — the earth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ground — crushed
  13. firm — steady
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pit — in a race
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitch — completely

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