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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: saw · leaves · wax · pound · mug · cabinet · net · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. net — after costs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — a face
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mug — to rob
  17. saw — the tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — in sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pound — a weight

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