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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: bore · cabinet · suit · ground · mark · bound · net · mouse

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. net — for catching
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — after costs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bound — certain
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. net — in sport
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bore — to tire
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  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