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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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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: trunk · mate · bound · firm · current · net · bear · pass

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. firm — a company
  5. bear — the animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. current — electric
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — in sport
  12. current — of water
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bound — certain
  16. mate — a friend
  17. net — after costs
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bear — the animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bound — tied together
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. firm — steady

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