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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.

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: calf · ground · staff · saw · stand · mate · pitcher · kick

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ground — crushed
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. staff — employees
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ground — the earth
  18. saw — the tool
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. kick — in football
  24. ground — a position

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