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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: jam · pit · spring · pitch · kick · coach · swing · saw

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. spring — the season
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spring — of water
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. kick — in football
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. swing — music
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. swing — in golf
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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