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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
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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: hide · wound · game · coach · pound · pit · squash · saw

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. game — wild animals
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. saw — the tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wound — an injury
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pit — a hole
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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