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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pitch — completely
  3. field — for sport
  4. track — a song
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bound — obliged
  7. track — a path
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pound — a weight
  11. track — to keep track
  12. field — farmland
  13. firm — a company
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. firm — steady
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. firm — decided
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. field — a subject
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pound — to hit hard

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