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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: pitch · sharp · nail · fork · swing · bay · plane · coach

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. sharp — clever
  7. swing — music
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fork — in a road
  14. swing — to play on
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitch — completely
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. plane — a tool

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