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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: club · pound · safe · net · patient · racket · nail · bound

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bound — obliged
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. net — for catching
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — after costs
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. club — for golf
  20. net — in sport
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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