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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 116 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 · track · rush · mug · wind · vault · field · key

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. field — for sport
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rush — hurry
  5. vault — a safe
  6. key — in music
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. field — farmland
  9. mug — a face
  10. field — a subject
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitch — completely
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. track — a song
  16. wind — moving air
  17. key — for a lock
  18. track — to keep track
  19. key — the most important part
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. track — a path

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