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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: coach · pitch · bass · club · track · mine · cell · patient

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. club — for golf
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cell — in biology
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bass — low music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mine — belonging to me

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