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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: safe · present · bound · mug · snap · pitcher · file · rock

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — to rob
  4. present — there
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. present — a gift
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mug — a face
  10. rock — a stone
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. present — the time now
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rock — music
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. file — a tool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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