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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
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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: plane · rest · mug · can · bound · saw · bear · pitcher

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mug — to rob
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. can — to be able to
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bound — certain
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bound — tied together
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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