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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · file · fine · mug · bulb · bowl · capital · cabinet

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. fine — all right
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. capital — a city
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fine — high quality
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fine — a penalty

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