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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
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: cell · mouse · leaves · ball · can · bass · wound · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cell — a phone
  3. can — a tin
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. net — for catching
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cell — in biology
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. net — in sport
  22. bass — low music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. leaves — of a tree

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