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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: cue · coach · ball · pitcher · rock · net · can · straw

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ball — a great time
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. can — a tin
  5. net — after costs
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. can — to be able to
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rock — music
  16. can — a tin
  17. net — in sport
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. net — for catching
  24. rock — to move gently

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