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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: stand · mug · net · dip · chip · calf · pitch · field

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. field — for sport
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. field — farmland
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mug — a cup
  10. net — in sport
  11. dip — to sink
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. field — a subject
  15. net — after costs
  16. mug — a face
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. net — for catching
  24. chip — for betting

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