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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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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: present · trunk · stem · march · pitch · racket · field · rock

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. march — the month
  2. pitch — completely
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. field — for sport
  6. present — there
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. field — farmland
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. march — music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. march — the month
  14. present — the time now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. field — a subject
  22. rock — music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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