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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 · spring · pitch · bound · mark · dip · drill · rest

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — completely
  9. spring — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bound — certain
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mark — a trace
  18. spring — of water
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mark — a grade
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. calf — of the leg

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