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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
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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: rush · mouse · pop · lie · mate · wound · cell · board

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wound — an injury
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. cell — a phone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pop — to visit

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