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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: cell · mouse · stand · rule · content · bulb

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cell — in biology
  5. content — the amount
  6. bulb — for light
  7. content — happy
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rule — a law
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  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