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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · club · court · rock · coach · pass · can · bound

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. can — a tin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rock — a stone
  5. net — after costs
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. club — a group
  8. court — of law
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. court — for sport
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pass — a permit
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — for golf
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bound — certain
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bound — obliged
  22. club — for dancing
  23. court — of a king
  24. bound — tied together

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