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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: coach · club · pitcher · key · fan · fine · bulb · net

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — a group
  6. net — in sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. net — after costs
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. club — for golf
  17. net — for catching
  18. club — for dancing
  19. key — in music
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fine — high quality

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