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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: ground · pitcher · coach · wave · swing · rule · temple · cap

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rule — a law
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. swing — music
  17. ground — the earth
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ground — a position
  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