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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: sharp · mark · coach · saw · stand · toast · pitch · row

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. pitch — a sports field
  2. saw — the tool
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitch — completely
  14. row — a line
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. row — to paddle
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — to bear
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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