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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 116 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: wave · bulb · bound · pound · tube · can · sharp · ball

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bound — obliged
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bulb — for light
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bound — certain
  11. ball — a dance
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bulb — of a plant

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