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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 116 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 · coach · pitcher · rock · fine · snap · spring · wax

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. spring — of water
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. snap — to click
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spring — the season
  12. fine — all right
  13. wax — to grow
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spring — a coil
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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