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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: current · bound · pop · bear · spring · pitcher · can · temple

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. spring — a coil
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. spring — the season
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. current — of water
  13. pop — soda
  14. bound — certain
  15. pop — to visit
  16. can — a tin
  17. bear — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. current — electric
  20. can — to be able to
  21. current — happening now
  22. pop — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitcher — a jug

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