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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: cap · jam · chest · pitch · can · content · wave · coach

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cap — of ice
  5. can — a tin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. can — a tin
  8. chest — a box
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. chest — of your body
  11. can — to be able to
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. cap — a lid
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pitch — completely
  24. content — happy

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