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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.

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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: pound · cell · net · foot · fall · drill · mouse · jam

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. net — for catching
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. foot — a measure
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. drill — a practice
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pound — a weight
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. net — in sport
  19. drill — army training
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. net — after costs
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — the tool
  24. jam — in traffic

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