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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
468
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: prune · roll · coach · patient · pass · pitch · band · cabinet

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. prune — to trim
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. roll — a list
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. band — a music group
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. band — a ring
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pass — a permit
  20. roll — a cake
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. roll — on a roll
  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