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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 116 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: coach · pitch · bore · lash · wound · firm · squash · cue

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. firm — a company
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cue — a hint
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. firm — decided
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. firm — steady
  24. wound — an injury

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