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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
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: tube · mouse · coach · net · object · lie · capital · pound

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. object — an aim
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. net — after costs
  10. capital — money
  11. net — for catching
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — a weight
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lie — to recline
  19. object — a thing
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. object — to protest
  23. capital — a city
  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