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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 120 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: stick · foot · coach · mark · pitch · wax · field · court

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — of a king
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pitch — completely
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. field — a subject
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mark — a grade
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. field — farmland
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. field — for sport

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