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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
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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: rush · arm · bulb · band · pit · racket · pitcher · coach

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. band — a ring
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pit — in a race
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a music group
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bulb — of a plant

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