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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
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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: mate · field · pound · plane · present · bound · court · firm

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. present — the time now
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. court — of a king
  5. mate — a friend
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. firm — a company
  8. court — of law
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. court — for sport
  11. bound — obliged
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. field — a subject
  15. mate — a partner
  16. field — for sport
  17. present — there
  18. field — farmland
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. plane — a tool
  23. present — a gift
  24. mate — to breed

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