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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: face · bulb · mouse · fine · jam · ruler · bat · suit

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. face — to confront
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. suit — clothes
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bat — the animal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fine — all right
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. face — part of the head

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