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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: pit · trunk · scale · foot · lash · calf · pitch · wound

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wound — an injury
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wound — an injury
  24. scale — for weighing

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