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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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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: pitch · club · ball · coach · wave · race · bat · temple

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. ball — a great time
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. race — a contest
  11. club — a group
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ball — a dance
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. race — humankind
  19. club — for golf
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. club — for dancing
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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