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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bound — certain
  3. fine — all right
  4. ground — a position
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — high quality
  7. suit — in cards
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bound — tied together
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ground — the earth
  12. net — for catching
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bank — of a river
  16. net — after costs
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — obliged
  19. squash — to crush
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ground — crushed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. squash — the sport

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