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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: lie · pitch · dip · field · firm · stand · kick · nail

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. field — farmland
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — a company
  5. kick — in football
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pitch — completely
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. dip — to sink
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. field — for sport
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lie — to recline
  23. field — a subject
  24. stand — to bear

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