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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: pitch · suit · stand · bulb · club · pitcher · craft · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — for light
  4. club — a group
  5. stand — to bear
  6. suit — in cards
  7. field — farmland
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. suit — to fit
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. field — for sport
  24. club — for golf

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