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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: pitcher · toast · firm · jam · saw · hand · coach · chair

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. firm — a company
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chair — a leader
  17. hand — help
  18. firm — steady
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. hand — in cards
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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