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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
468
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: key · dip · pitch · shower · track · coach · deal · kick

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. track — a song
  3. deal — to handle
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kick — in football
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. shower — rain
  14. pitch — completely
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. track — to keep track
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. dip — to sink
  20. key — in music
  21. track — a path
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. key — for a lock

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