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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: rash · coach · pitcher · scale · board · firm · mark · lie

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mark — a grade
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. board — to get on
  12. firm — a company
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — steady
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rash — a series
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rash — hasty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a committee
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — decided
  24. lie — to recline

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