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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 116 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: net · pound · clip · rock · bound · safe

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. net — for catching
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bound — tied together
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — a video
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bound — obliged
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bound — certain

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