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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.

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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: mouse · object · net · stem · plane · mug · ball · perch

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. net — in sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. net — for catching
  7. mug — a face
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. object — to protest
  12. stem — to come from
  13. plane — a tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. object — an aim
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. object — a thing
  21. net — after costs
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. perch — for a bird

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