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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: field · bound · track · object · bay · net · deal · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. deal — to handle
  3. net — in sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. track — a song
  8. band — a music group
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. field — farmland
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. net — for catching
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. object — to protest
  16. net — after costs
  17. track — to keep track
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — a subject
  20. band — a ring
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. track — a path
  24. bound — obliged

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