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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: mate · pitcher · swing · coach · plane · chip · present · rush

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. present — there
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rush — hurry
  11. swing — music
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. present — a gift
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. present — the time now

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