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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. bound — certain
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — a cup
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. march — the month
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bound — tied together
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bound — obliged
  19. content — happy
  20. content — the amount
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mug — a face
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mug — to rob

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