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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: suit · mark · season · vault · pitch · mine · field · stand

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mark — a trace
  4. season — in sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. vault — a safe
  13. field — for sport
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — of the year
  16. field — farmland
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. field — a subject
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitch — completely
  24. suit — clothes

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