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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 120 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: ground · lie · track · bound · net · current · bank · deal

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bank — for money
  4. net — for catching
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ground — a position
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. current — of water
  10. track — to keep track
  11. net — after costs
  12. current — happening now
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — a song
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. current — electric
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bound — certain
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — in sport
  23. track — a path
  24. bound — tied together

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