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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.

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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: track · can · pitcher · bound · plane · board · cell · degree

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. can — a tin
  3. track — a song
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. degree — from a university
  7. plane — a tool
  8. degree — temperature
  9. track — a path
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — certain
  14. cell — in biology
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cell — a phone
  18. can — to be able to
  19. track — to keep track
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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