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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 · rush · mouse · stem · lie · toast · jam · pass

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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. mouse — for a computer
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. net — in sport
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. net — for catching
  19. toast — bread
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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