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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · can · stand · field · bore · bay · present · pitch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. object — to protest
  8. bore — to tire
  9. field — farmland
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. can — a tin
  15. bore — to drill
  16. can — a tin
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. object — an aim
  22. pitch — completely
  23. present — the time now
  24. field — a subject

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