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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: net · rock · present · lie · firm · bound · board · date

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bound — certain
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. board — to get on
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. firm — decided
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. present — there
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — the time now
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — a stone
  15. firm — a company
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rock — music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. present — a gift
  21. board — a committee
  22. net — for catching
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rock — to move gently

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