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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: net · bank · bay · degree · calf · pitch · craft · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. degree — from a university
  3. net — for catching
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. craft — a skill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. net — after costs
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. net — in sport
  24. pitch — a sports field

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