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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · mouse · ball · lie · fan · drill · hide · pound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. drill — the tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pound — to hit hard

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