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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: net · rest · bound · plane · bay · bass · chair · current

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. net — after costs
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chair — a leader
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. current — happening now
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. net — in sport
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rest — a break
  18. current — electric
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bound — obliged
  21. current — of water
  22. bound — certain
  23. bass — low music
  24. net — for catching

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