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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: bulb · bank · mug · kid · pound · can · wake · plane

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pound — a weight
  6. kid — to tease
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — a cup
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. can — a tin
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mug — a face
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pound — for dogs

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