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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.

Make a worksheet

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: firm · content · mouse · rush · perch · mine · net · cell

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. net — in sport
  6. cell — a phone
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — after costs
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. net — for catching
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cell — in biology
  21. perch — the fish
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — hurry

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