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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.

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: bound · net · wave · track · fan · present · bay · object

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — a path
  3. present — there
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — certain
  6. object — an aim
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. object — a thing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. present — a gift
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. present — the time now
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — tied together
  24. track — a song

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