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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.

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: mug · season · pitcher · row · chest · coach · key · dip

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — for a lock
  6. season — in sport
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chest — a box
  10. key — the most important part
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. key — in music
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mug — a face
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mug — to rob
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — a line
  22. mug — a cup
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — a trainer

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