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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. shower — rain
  5. field — farmland
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. shower — to wash
  12. field — a subject
  13. stock — shares
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. field — for sport
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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