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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.

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: race · ball · stick · coach · season · mug · band · pitch

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mug — a cup
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. band — a ring
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — of the year
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mug — to rob
  15. season — in sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. band — a music group
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mug — a face
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. race — a contest
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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