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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 116 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: mark · bank · bowl · net · mug · cell · bound · dip

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bank — for money
  4. net — for catching
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mark — a grade
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bound — certain
  14. mug — a face
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bank — of a river
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bound — obliged

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