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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: pitch · mark · lash · cabinet · face · dip · calf · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mark — a grade
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pitch — completely
  12. face — to confront
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pitch — a sports field

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