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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 · mouse · shower · pound · kick · bank · ball · calf

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bank — of a river
  3. shower — rain
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. kick — in football
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bank — for money
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mouse — for a computer

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