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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
468
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: bowl · coach · sharp · lean · rash · snap · wake · pitch

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. wake — a trail
  6. sharp — clever
  7. lean — thin
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. snap — to click
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wake — before a funeral

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