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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: pass · track · pitch · bat · fine · calf · net · pit

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pit — in a race
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. track — a song
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. net — for catching
  18. bat — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. net — in sport
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pass — a permit

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