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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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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: pop · pitch · straw · stand · calf · lean · present · cabinet

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. present — a gift
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lean — thin
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — to bend
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pitch — completely

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