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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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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: arm · tube · calf · charge · pound · pitch · leaves · tear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pound — a weight
  4. tear — from crying
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. tear — from crying
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. charge — in control
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitch — completely
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tube — a container
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tear — to rip

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