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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: pitcher · perch · mark · rock · can · cap · bass · coach

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bass — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — a tin
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bass — low music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. perch — the fish
  20. can — a tin
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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