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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.

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: field · racket · ball · trunk · stand · pitcher · wave · calf

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. field — for sport
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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