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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: coach · pitcher · fork · club · pop · key · cap · pitch

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — soda
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. club — for golf
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pop — music
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pitch — completely
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pitcher — a jug

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