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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: mouse · bat · season · bound · club · bowl · fine · band

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bound — tied together
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. season — of the year
  10. bat — the animal
  11. band — a ring
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. band — a music group
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. bound — certain
  24. bowl — a dish

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