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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 120 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: current · craft · coach · pitch · patient · ball · clip · can

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — to be able to
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. can — a tin
  13. clip — a video
  14. current — happening now
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. craft — a skill
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. clip — to cut
  19. ball — a great time
  20. can — a tin
  21. clip — for paper
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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