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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 120 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: race · pitch · season · coach · hide · key · wind · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. race — humankind
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pitch — completely
  6. key — in music
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. race — the arms race
  9. key — for a lock
  10. race — a contest
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. season — in sport
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wind — moving air

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