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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · tube · bound · kick · pitcher · field · can · bowl

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. field — for sport
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. key — in music
  11. kick — in football
  12. tube — a container
  13. bound — certain
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. key — the most important part
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. can — a tin
  23. tube — the underground
  24. key — for a lock

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