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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: mug · safe · coach · ball · club · pitch · pound · cell

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pound — a weight
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. club — a group
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ball — a dance

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