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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: lie · firm · bound · pound · object · net · bat · mouse

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — decided
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. object — an aim
  12. bound — certain
  13. net — after costs
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. object — a thing
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — a company
  20. object — to protest
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pound — a weight
  23. firm — steady
  24. pound — to hit hard

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