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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: firm · field · fan · pitch · march · hide · root · foot

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. march — music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitch — completely
  6. field — farmland
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. march — the month
  10. firm — a company
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. firm — steady
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — a subject
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. root — the cause
  20. march — the month
  21. firm — decided
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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