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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 116 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: pitch · mug · mark · wake · calf · pit · dip · fork

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pit — in a race

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