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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: can · sharp · pitch · face · vault · club · rule · coach

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rule — government
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. can — a tin
  8. rule — a law
  9. club — for golf
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. can — to be able to
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. face — to point toward
  16. club — for dancing
  17. face — part of the head
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. club — a group
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. face — to confront
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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