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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: stick · net · chest · pass · coach · pit · fan · calf

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chest — a box
  7. net — for catching
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pit — a hole
  11. net — in sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chest — of your body
  15. net — after costs
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. chest — of your body

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