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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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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: pitcher · coach · lean · board · bulb · can · club · last

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. last — finally
  3. can — to be able to
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. club — a group
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. board — a committee
  20. club — for golf
  21. lean — thin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — to get on
  24. coach — a trainer

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