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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.

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: lean · bat · cap · pit · calf · bowl · march · pitcher

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. march — music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. march — the month
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bat — the 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