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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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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: pitch · root · pound · can · swing · suit · stand · fork

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. swing — in golf
  3. can — to be able to
  4. swing — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. root — the cause
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. suit — to fit
  20. root — of a word
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stand — for spectators

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