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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 · ground · net · staff · calf · mouse · safe · kid

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. net — in sport
  5. staff — a stick
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — crushed
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ground — a position
  12. net — for catching
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — child
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. net — after costs
  21. staff — employees
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ground — the earth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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