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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: pitch · wake · toast · track · fan · present · key · march

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. present — a gift
  5. toast — bread
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a song
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. key — the most important part
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. track — a path
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. key — in music
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pitch — completely
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. track — to keep track

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