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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: can · straw · pitcher · bat · jam · clip · bound · safe

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. clip — to cut
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. clip — a video
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — obliged
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. can — to be able to

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