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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: rock · foot · bound · hide · date · pass · racket · stock

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rock — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — goods
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. foot — a measure
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stock — shares
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — obliged
  24. foot — part of the body

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