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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: mouse · march · key · foot · kid · pitch · bowl · coach

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. march — the month
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. key — in music
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. key — the most important part
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — child
  17. march — music
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. march — the month
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mouse — the animal

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