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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 120 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: bore · calf · fan · stand · rock · trunk · pitch · face

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. face — to confront
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rock — music
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bore — to tire
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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