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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: last · mate · fine · bound · leaves · kid · net · mouse

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fine — all right
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. last — to go on
  8. mate — to breed
  9. kid — child
  10. fine — high quality
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bound — certain
  15. last — finally
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. last — final
  18. kid — to tease
  19. net — for catching
  20. mate — a friend
  21. net — after costs
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mouse — for a computer

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