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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: pitch · racket · content · rush · spell · jam · coach · mug

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mug — to rob
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. mug — a face
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pitch — completely
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — magic
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rush — hurry
  24. spell — letters

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