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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: mate · saw · key · coach · pitcher · leaves · tube · chest

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chest — of your body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. chest — a box
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chest — of your body
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. tube — the underground
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tube — a container
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pitcher — a jug

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