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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 120 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: cell · track · net · ruler · band · mouse · bound · patient

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. net — in sport
  3. track — a path
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in biology
  9. track — a song
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bound — certain
  12. band — a music group
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. track — to keep track
  17. band — a ring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. net — for catching
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. net — after costs

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