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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: pitch · object · track · wake · stand · dip · bark · kick

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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. stand — for spectators
  4. kick — in football
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. track — a song
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. dip — to sink
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stand — to bear
  23. object — a thing
  24. bark — to shout

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