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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: bowl · coach · drill · tube · pop · rock · toast · pitch

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitch — completely
  6. toast — bread
  7. rock — music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. drill — army training
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tube — a container
  17. pop — soda
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. drill — a practice
  21. tube — the underground
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pop — music

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