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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ball · cell · rush · bulb · hand · face · scale

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. face — part of the head
  12. scale — size or range
  13. hand — help
  14. face — to point toward
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rush — hurry
  18. face — to confront
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cell — a phone

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