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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · kid · rest · current · pitch · key · game · coach

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. current — happening now
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. kid — to tease
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitch — completely
  13. key — in music
  14. current — electric
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. key — the most important part
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. current — of water
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mug — a face

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