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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: pitcher · track · present · can · cell · firm · rash · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. present — the time now
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. track — to keep track
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cell — a phone
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — a song
  12. present — there
  13. can — a tin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bound — certain
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rash — a series
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — a path
  22. present — a gift
  23. firm — a company
  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