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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 116 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: pitch · wake · march · tube · rush · mouse · coach · stand

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. tube — a container
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. march — the month
  16. wake — a trail
  17. march — the month
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. march — music
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — hurry

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