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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: pitcher · nail · leaves · coach · swing · game · pit · chair

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. swing — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. game — a match
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — wild animals
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — a leader
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pit — in a race
  24. swing — to play on

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