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

Word bank: pitch · field · wave · track · ruler · pit · chest · cue

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a path
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. field — a subject
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chest — a box
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. field — farmland
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. field — for sport
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pit — a hole
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cue — a hint
  24. track — a song

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