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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · foot · mine · rash · content · stick · bound · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. content — the amount
  5. bound — certain
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bound — tied together
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mine — for digging
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rash — hasty
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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