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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.

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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: lie · net · tube · prune · cue · bound · mouse · wind

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bound — certain
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. net — for catching
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. lie — to recline
  15. net — in sport
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — a container
  23. bound — tied together
  24. lie — an untruth

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