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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · pitch · arm · coach · fine · ball · content · ruler

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a dance
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. content — the amount
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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