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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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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: firm · rock · sharp · stick · cue · content · pitcher · can

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. firm — steady
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. sharp — clever
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. firm — a company
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. firm — decided
  14. rock — music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cue — a hint
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. can — to be able to
  23. content — happy
  24. sharp — exactly

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