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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: rule · trunk · pitcher · coach · mate · straw · pop · pound

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — music
  3. rule — government
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pop — to visit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mate — a partner
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rule — a law
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pop — soda
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mate — to breed

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