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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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. firm — decided
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — hurry
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. firm — a company
  16. field — for sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. field — a subject
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bound — tied together
  23. field — farmland
  24. firm — steady

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