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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · face · prune · cell · can · board · mouse · drill

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. drill — army training
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. board — to get on
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. board — a committee
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cell — in biology

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