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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: saw · root · pitch · field · coach · rest · wake · suit

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. field — for sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. root — the cause
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. root — of a word
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wake — a trail
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. field — farmland
  18. root — of a plant
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. field — a subject
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rest — what's left

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