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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. band — a ring
  3. net — in sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. land — to come down
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. land — ground
  18. mark — a trace
  19. band — a music group
  20. land — a country
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. net — after costs
  24. date — on the calendar

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