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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 · pop · bound · pitcher · game · can · safe · roll

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — obliged
  6. game — a match
  7. can — to be able to
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. tube — a container
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bound — certain
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pop — music
  18. roll — a list
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. roll — a cake
  24. tube — the underground

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