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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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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: track · pitch · craft · pit · field · content · deal · row

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. content — the amount
  3. field — farmland
  4. deal — to handle
  5. track — a path
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. row — to paddle
  8. track — a song
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. field — for sport
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. row — a line
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pit — a hole
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. craft — boats
  24. field — a subject

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