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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.

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: court · bulb · pitch · object · rest · track · cue · field

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rest — a break
  4. cue — a signal
  5. object — an aim
  6. court — for sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. object — to protest
  11. field — a subject
  12. court — of a king
  13. rest — what's left
  14. field — for sport
  15. rest — what's left
  16. court — of law
  17. track — a path
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. field — farmland
  20. track — a song
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cue — a hint
  23. object — a thing
  24. track — to keep track

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