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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
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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: mug · pitcher · season · content · plane · prune · dip · march

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. season — of the year
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. march — the month
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mug — a face
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. season — in sport
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. prune — the fruit

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