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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: coach · roll · spell · key · safe · fan · arm · pitch

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. key — in music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spell — magic
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. roll — a list
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — letters
  18. key — for a lock
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fan — to cool the air

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