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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bound · race · mark · stick · plane · mine · object

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bound — certain
  4. object — a thing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. plane — a tool
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bound — obliged
  14. race — a contest
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. net — after costs
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. race — humankind
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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