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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: mate · coach · kick · pitcher · bowl · tube · key · fan

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. key — in music
  4. mate — a partner
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — a container
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mate — to breed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. tube — the underground
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pitcher — a jug

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