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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: fan · bound · current · can · squash · pop · bear · hand

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — of water
  8. can — a tin
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pop — soda
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. current — electric
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pop — music
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. current — happening now
  22. bound — certain
  23. can — to be able to
  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