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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: mine · cell · prune · pass · hide · mouse · board · net

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — for catching
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. net — in sport
  8. prune — to trim
  9. net — after costs
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. board — to get on
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mouse — for a computer

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