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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: calf · ball · toast · face · pitch · nail · pop · bore

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pop — soda
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pop — to visit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. face — part of the head
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pop — music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. face — to confront
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. toast — bread
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. toast — the most admired

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