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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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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: mouse · net · board · wax · mine · mug · mate · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. board — a committee
  5. mug — a cup
  6. net — after costs
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mate — a partner
  18. net — for catching
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mug — a face
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. net — in sport
  24. wax — for sculpting

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