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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: mug · pitcher · can · ball · pound · coach · roll · band

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — a face
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ball — a dance
  14. band — a ring
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. can — a tin
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mug — to rob
  22. band — a music group
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. can — a tin

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