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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: suit · file · stock · sharp · foot · court · fork · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pitch — completely
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. file — a document
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. suit — to fit
  10. file — a tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. sharp — clever
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — of law
  19. stock — shares
  20. court — for sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fork — in a road
  24. stock — a soup base

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