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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: leaves · content · bass · can · object · roll · coach · bowl

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — low music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — an aim
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. bass — the fish
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. roll — a cake
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. object — a thing
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. object — to protest
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. roll — a list
  22. can — to be able to
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bowl — a dish

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