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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: racket · coach · march · bear · pitch · press · spell · fine

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fine — all right
  8. press — to push
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spell — letters
  13. fine — high quality
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. spell — magic
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. march — the month
  23. press — newspapers
  24. racket — for tennis

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