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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
468
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: hide · pitch · game · suit · band · coach · perch · pitcher

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — clothes
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. band — a music group
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. band — a ring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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