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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: field · fork · can · bowl · pitch · stand · squash · board

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stand — to bear
  4. field — a subject
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — to be able to
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — for sport
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. board — a committee
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. can — a tin
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. board — to get on
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bowl — to roll

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