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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 120 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 · band · calf · stand · bulb · trunk · staff · nail

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — to bear
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. staff — a stick
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. calf — a young animal

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