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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: pound · stick · stand · field · pitch · bear · bulb · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. suit — to fit
  4. field — farmland
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. field — for sport
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. field — a subject
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bear — the animal

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