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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 116 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
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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: nail · mate · mouse · wake · cell · pitcher · cue · net

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — after costs
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cell — in biology
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mouse — the animal

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