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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: deal · present · mate · pitcher · coach · bowl · band · march

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. march — the month
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. present — there
  6. band — a music group
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mate — a partner
  9. march — the month
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. present — a gift
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. march — music
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — the time now

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