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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: can · land · fan · bound · rock · bulb · temple · pound

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bound — obliged
  9. land — to come down
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. land — a country
  12. can — to be able to
  13. land — ground
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — certain
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rock — music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fan — a supporter

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