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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 120 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: field · mug · coach · band · ball · racket · race · firm

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. field — farmland
  3. race — a contest
  4. band — a ring
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. band — a music group
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. firm — decided
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — a company
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. field — a subject
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ball — a great time
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. field — for sport
  23. ball — a dance
  24. firm — steady

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