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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: saw · mouse · present · tube · bound · face · coach · pitch

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. present — a gift
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bound — tied together
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. face — to confront
  17. present — the time now
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. present — there
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. face — to point toward

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