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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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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: lean · stick · court · pitch · foot · wake · bay · track

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. court — for sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. track — a song
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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