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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 · present · bass · pop · pitch · game · patient · track

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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. patient — a sick person
  4. pop — music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bass — the fish
  7. track — to keep track
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bass — low music
  11. track — a path
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. present — there
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. present — the time now
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. track — a song
  20. game — a match
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. present — a gift
  24. pop — soda

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