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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: calf · bay · present · pitch · coach · chip · squash · mate

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitch — completely
  8. present — the time now
  9. squash — the sport
  10. chip — to eat
  11. squash — to crush
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. chip — for betting
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mate — to breed

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