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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: toast · wound · firm · wake · calf · board · pitch · degree

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. firm — steady
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. degree — temperature
  16. toast — bread
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wound — an injury
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. board — a committee

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