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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 120 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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. club — for golf
  5. foot — a measure
  6. club — for dancing
  7. net — for catching
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. club — a group
  13. current — happening now
  14. net — after costs
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ground — a position
  17. present — there
  18. ground — crushed
  19. net — in sport
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bound — certain
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — obliged

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