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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: tube · rock · pitch · cell · rule · coach · temple · object

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rule — government
  3. object — a thing
  4. tube — a container
  5. object — to protest
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rule — a law
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cell — in biology
  17. tube — the underground
  18. object — an aim
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. rock — music
  24. cell — a phone

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