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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: mouse · lash · mine · jam · bear · shower · lie · net

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. net — after costs
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. shower — rain
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — for catching
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. shower — to wash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. net — in sport

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