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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.

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: pound · can · cell · bound · board · mug · plane · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — to be able to
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mug — a face
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cell — a phone
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — a weight
  9. can — a tin
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bound — certain
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cell — in biology
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mug — a cup
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. board — a committee
  21. mug — to rob
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — obliged
  24. plane — a tool

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