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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: swing · cell · rash · coach · pop · pitcher · pitch · vault

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. vault — a safe
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pop — soda
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. swing — music
  9. pitch — completely
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pop — music
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rash — a series
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pitcher — a jug

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