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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 116 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: stick · lean · safe · track · capital · pound · bound · tube

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. lean — thin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pound — a weight
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bound — certain
  15. track — to keep track
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lean — to bend
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. capital — money
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. track — a song
  24. safe — out of danger

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