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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 120 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: club · mug · cell · nail · perch · lie · mouse · mark

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. cell — a phone
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — to rob
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mark — a trace
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cell — in biology
  24. club — for golf

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