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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.

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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: cap · rush · pitch · coach · row · current · hide · key

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. pitch — completely
  2. cap — of ice
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. current — of water
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. key — in music
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cap — a lid
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. current — electric
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cap — a hat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. current — happening now
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — hurry
  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