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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
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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: coach · pitcher · field · rule · lie · spell · fine · mug

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fine — all right
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. field — for sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. field — farmland
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fine — high quality
  13. field — a subject
  14. spell — letters
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rule — government
  18. mug — a cup
  19. spell — magic
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a face
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mug — to rob
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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