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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: mouse · dip · content · track · pitcher · coach · can · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. track — a song
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. content — the amount
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. content — happy
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — to sink
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. track — to keep track
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. track — a path

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