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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: mark · club · coach · pitch · ball · pop · kid · present

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. club — a group
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mark — a grade
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. club — for golf
  13. present — there
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. kid — child
  19. pitch — completely
  20. kid — to tease
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pop — to visit
  24. club — for dancing

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