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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: mark · net · fine · bass · bound · cold · bowl · bore

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cold — not warm
  5. net — for catching
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mark — a trace
  10. net — in sport
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bass — low music
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. bound — certain
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. net — after costs
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fine — all right
  23. cold — an illness
  24. bowl — a football final

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