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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 · branch · coach · vault · wound · arm · pitcher · snap

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wound — an injury
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wound — an injury
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. branch — a division
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. snap — to click

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