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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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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: calf · jam · bay · kick · pound · pitch · bore · race

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bore — to drill
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pound — a weight
  9. race — a contest
  10. kick — in football
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pitch — completely
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. race — humankind
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — to tire
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. calf — a young animal

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