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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · calf · racket · fan · saw · lean · rest · plane

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. plane — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lean — thin
  5. pitch — completely
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rest — a break
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. lean — to bend
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rest — what's left

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