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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 124 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 · safe · coach · present · mark · pitch · deal · bay

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. present — there
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. field — for sport
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. field — a subject
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. field — farmland
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pitch — completely
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. present — the time now

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