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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: club · board · bore · stem · mouse · net · face · ball

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. face — to confront
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. net — after costs
  6. bore — to tire
  7. board — to get on
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stem — to come from
  10. net — in sport
  11. club — a group
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ball — a great time
  14. net — for catching
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. board — a committee
  19. face — part of the head
  20. club — for golf
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bore — to drill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. club — for dancing

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