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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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. safe — a strongbox
  4. suit — clothes
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. degree — an amount
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. degree — temperature
  18. wake — a trail
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. degree — from a university
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mark — a trace
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — in cards

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