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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.

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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: field · fork · can · rest · wave · racket · pitch · track

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. track — a path
  3. can — a tin
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rest — a break
  11. field — a subject
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. track — a song
  15. field — farmland
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. field — for sport
  24. racket — a loud noise

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