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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: pound · mug · mouse · rush · bowl · saw

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pound — a weight
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mug — a face
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mug — a cup
  18. 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