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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 120 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 · bound · bay · plane · racket · stock · suit · spring

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bound — tied together
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bound — obliged
  8. net — in sport
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bound — certain
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — of water
  16. stock — shares
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stock — goods
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. plane — an aircraft

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