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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
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: file · shower · craft · bore · bulb · mouse · capital · mate

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. file — a document
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. capital — a city
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bore — to drill
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. shower — to wash
  19. file — a tool
  20. bore — to tire
  21. capital — money
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bore — gave birth

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