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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: net · plane · coach · bowl · bound · wound · staff · bank

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bound — certain
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bank — of a river
  6. staff — employees
  7. net — after costs
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bound — tied together
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bank — for money
  18. net — in sport
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bound — obliged
  22. plane — a tool
  23. net — for catching
  24. staff — a stick

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