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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: deal · game · trunk · current · pitch · calf · chair · rock

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. current — happening now
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rock — a stone
  8. chair — a leader
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rock — music
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitch — completely
  18. current — of water
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. game — a match
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. current — electric

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