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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: coach · bear · jam · cap · board · can · date · pitcher

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — a tin
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. board — a committee
  17. can — to be able to
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. board — to get on
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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