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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: track · wake · field · pitch · suit · cue · present · land

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. land — ground
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — there
  5. land — a country
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cue — a signal
  10. present — a gift
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wake — a trail
  13. land — to come down
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. track — to keep track
  16. field — a subject
  17. present — the time now
  18. pitch — completely
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. field — for sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cue — a hint

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