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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 120 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: content · tear · mouse · cell · mug · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. content — the amount
  4. tear — from crying
  5. file — a line of people
  6. cell — in biology
  7. content — happy
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. file — a document
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mug — a face
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mouse — the animal

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