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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: pitcher · field · plane · wake · pit · calf · dip · object

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. field — farmland
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pit — in a race
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. object — to protest
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — a thing
  21. field — for sport
  22. object — an aim
  23. field — a subject
  24. wake — a trail

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