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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 · track · temple · craft · lie · march · pitch · bound

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. field — farmland
  4. march — music
  5. field — for sport
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. march — the month
  8. craft — boats
  9. track — a path
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bound — certain
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. craft — a skill
  19. field — a subject
  20. track — a song
  21. bound — tied together
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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