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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
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: bound · safe · net · bank · roll · field · fan · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. field — for sport
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bank — of a river
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bound — certain
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. field — farmland
  13. net — for catching
  14. bound — tied together
  15. net — in sport
  16. bound — obliged
  17. field — a subject
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. roll — a list
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. net — after costs

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