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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: spring · mug · ruler · last · content · coach · pitcher · sharp

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. last — final
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. last — finally
  9. spring — a coil
  10. last — to go on
  11. spring — the season
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a face
  17. content — happy
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. spring — of water
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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