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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: tube · hand · season · bound · racket · net · can · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. net — after costs
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bound — obliged
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — a container
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bound — tied together
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. season — in sport
  15. bound — certain
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mug — a face
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. can — to be able to
  20. tube — the underground
  21. can — a tin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. season — of the year
  24. hand — help

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