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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.

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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: bank · coach · fine · pitch · object · ground · swing · race

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — an aim
  4. ground — a position
  5. race — humankind
  6. object — a thing
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pitch — completely
  9. race — a contest
  10. swing — to play on
  11. fine — all right
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — to protest
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ground — crushed
  22. swing — music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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