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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
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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: coach · hide · spell · cue · pitch · degree

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — a signal
  10. degree — an amount
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. degree — from a university
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spell — magic
  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