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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 · rest · chest · land · calf · ruler · plane · current

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. land — to come down
  5. rest — what's left
  6. chest — of your body
  7. current — of water
  8. pitch — completely
  9. current — happening now
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. land — ground
  16. chest — of your body
  17. land — a country
  18. chest — a box
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — electric
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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