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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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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: last · swing · pitch · race · coach · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. last — to go on
  3. race — the arms race
  4. swing — music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. swing — in golf
  8. last — finally
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitch — completely
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. last — final
  14. swing — to play on
  15. race — a contest
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. coach — a trainer

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