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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
468
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: content · pit · coach · can · plane · roll · pitcher · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. roll — a cake
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — happy
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. can — to be able to
  9. content — the amount
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. can — a tin
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. roll — a list
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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