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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 120 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: board · coach · calf · pitch · drill · plane · hand · pass

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pitch — completely
  3. hand — help
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hand — in cards
  8. board — a committee
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — to get on
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pass — a permit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — army training
  21. plane — a tool
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pass — to succeed

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