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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: temple · pitcher · firm · coach · wound · sharp

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. firm — steady
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wound — an injury
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — decided
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. firm — a company
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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