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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: club · net · bound · pitcher · rest · mouse · roll · bass

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. club — a group
  3. net — in sport
  4. bass — low music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — what's left
  7. net — after costs
  8. rest — a break
  9. net — for catching
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. club — for golf
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. roll — a list
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mouse — the animal

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