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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: pop · net · mug · game · bank · pound · bound · current

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bound — obliged
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. net — for catching
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. net — in sport
  17. game — a match
  18. bank — for money
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bound — certain
  21. current — of water
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pop — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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