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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. firm — decided
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. track — a song
  7. fork — in a road
  8. club — a group
  9. field — farmland
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pitch — completely
  12. track — to keep track
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. field — a subject
  16. track — a path
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. field — for sport
  19. club — for golf
  20. press — newspapers
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. club — for dancing
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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