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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: field · present · stand · pit · pitch · saw · fine · fork

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. field — for sport
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. fine — high quality
  11. field — farmland
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. present — the time now
  16. field — a subject
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fine — all right
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. present — a gift

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