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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: pop · calf · face · pitch · fall · firm · stand · field

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fall — the season
  3. field — farmland
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. face — part of the head
  8. firm — decided
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. firm — steady
  12. field — a subject
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. face — to confront
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pop — music
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pop — soda
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. firm — a company
  24. fall — to drop

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