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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: current · bowl · net · bound · plane · leaves · present · prune

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. net — after costs
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — tied together
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bound — certain
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — obliged
  16. net — in sport
  17. present — there
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. current — of water
  21. prune — to trim
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. present — the time now

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