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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.

Make a worksheet

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: firm · chair · pitcher · key · coach · stick · rock · bulb

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rock — music
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. firm — steady
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. firm — decided
  20. key — in music
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. key — the most important part
  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