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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: bowl · band · coach · pitcher · jam · ruler · object · date

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. band — a music group
  3. object — a thing
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — to protest
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. object — an aim
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a ring
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. date — the fruit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. band — a rubber band

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