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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
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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 · object · suit · pitch · game · bank · temple · field

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bank — for money
  5. present — a gift
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. field — a subject
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. game — a match
  18. object — an aim
  19. field — farmland
  20. suit — clothes
  21. field — for sport
  22. object — a thing
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. present — the time now

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