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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
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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: pitch · temple · firm · game · cabinet · root · drill · field

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. field — farmland
  3. drill — the tool
  4. game — a match
  5. game — wild animals
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. field — for sport
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. firm — a company
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. drill — army training
  17. root — of a word
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. root — of a plant
  20. firm — decided
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. root — the cause
  23. field — a subject
  24. game — a kind of play

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