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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 116 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: can · net · staff · pound · file · bound · mouse · object

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. staff — employees
  7. can — a tin
  8. object — a thing
  9. file — a document
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. object — an aim
  13. net — in sport
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. net — for catching
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — a tin
  20. file — a tool
  21. object — to protest
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bound — obliged

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