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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: saw · stand · march · pitch · field · pound · calf · lie

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. march — the month
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. field — for sport
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. march — the month
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. march — music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lie — to recline
  24. field — farmland

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