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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: suit · clip · calf · pitch · rush · dip · cap · chest

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. cap — a hat
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. suit — clothes
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chest — of your body
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. chest — a box
  24. calf — of the leg

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