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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: ball · content · pitcher · degree · can · bass · squash · stand

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stand — to bear
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. content — the amount
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. can — a tin
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. can — to be able to
  15. content — happy
  16. squash — to crush
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ball — a great time
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — temperature

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