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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 120 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.

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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: board · wake · pit · pitcher · rush · content

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rush — hurry
  7. content — the amount
  8. board — to get on
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. board — a committee
  12. wake — a trail
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. content — happy

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