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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: mark · fine · bound · content · march · mouse · net · cabinet

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — all right
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — after costs
  8. march — the month
  9. content — the amount
  10. march — the month
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bound — tied together
  15. content — happy
  16. net — for catching
  17. bound — certain
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. march — music
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. net — in sport
  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