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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: pitch · lie · jam · net · straw · coach · charge · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pitch — completely
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — hurry
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. charge — in control
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — for catching
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — in sport
  17. charge — a price
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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