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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: bound · cue · wave · mark · file · pound · can · bear

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bound — obliged
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cue — for pool
  8. file — a document
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. can — a tin
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bound — certain
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bound — tied together

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