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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: deal · pit · field · pound · key · perch · cue · stand

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. cue — a signal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. key — in music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. field — for sport
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stand — to bear
  15. field — farmland
  16. key — the most important part
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cue — a hint
  24. perch — the fish

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