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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: temple · saw · drill · coach · pitcher · content · pop · bass

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pop — music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pop — to visit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pop — soda
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. content — the amount
  19. bass — low music
  20. content — happy
  21. drill — the tool
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. drill — army training
  24. bass — the fish

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