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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: key · fine · bear · mate · club · coach · root · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. club — for golf
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — in music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. key — the most important part
  9. club — for dancing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — all right
  18. root — of a word
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bear — the animal
  21. club — a group
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitch — completely

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