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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: mate · object · net · bound · court · mine · ruler · rock

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. object — a thing
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — music
  12. bound — obliged
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. net — in sport
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — certain
  20. net — for catching
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. net — after costs
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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