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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: mug · drill · bound · net · last · ball · lash · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. mug — to rob
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. net — for catching
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bound — certain
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a great time
  14. drill — the tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. mug — a face
  17. last — final
  18. drill — army training
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. last — finally
  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