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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: band · pound · deal · present · lie · mouse · ball · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. present — the time now
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. present — there
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. present — a gift
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lie — to recline
  16. band — a music group
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. band — a ring
  24. ball — a great time

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