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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
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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: roll · can · bound · sharp · rush · game · pitcher · pit

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pit — in a race
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a list
  15. bound — certain
  16. roll — a cake
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pit — a hole
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bound — tied together
  24. game — a match

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