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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 116 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: calf · chair · pass · pitch · coach · ruler

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chair — a leader
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. calf — of the leg

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