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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: pop · cue · jam · chest · content · tube · pitch · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cue — a signal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pop — soda
  5. cue — for pool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. chest — a box
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pop — music
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pitch — completely
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pop — to visit
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. saw — the tool
  19. content — the amount
  20. tube — a container
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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