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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: prune · bound · stock · toast · can · board · net · bass

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bound — certain
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. prune — to trim
  7. board — a committee
  8. bound — obliged
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stock — goods
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. stock — shares
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. bound — tied together
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. board — to get on
  23. toast — bread
  24. net — in sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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