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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 · fine · wax · face · ground · stand · club · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. club — a group
  3. face — to point toward
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. net — in sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bound — certain
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. face — to confront
  14. wax — to grow
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ground — crushed
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ground — a position
  24. stand — to bear

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