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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 120 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: coach · stick · shower · tube · pitch · bear · rock · firm

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. firm — steady
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — rain
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — a container
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — completely

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