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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: pitch · bass · club · nail · object · coach · racket · fork

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. club — for golf
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. club — for dancing
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pitch — completely
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. club — a group
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — the fish
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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