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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: rock · deal · mate · bay · pitcher · rule · coach · hand

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — to handle
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — in cards
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rule — government
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rock — music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rule — a law
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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