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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: deal · wound · net · bank · coach · firm · pitch · mark

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — steady
  8. bank — for money
  9. mark — a trace
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. net — for catching
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. firm — a company
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. bank — of a river
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. coach — a trainer

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