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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: suit · ground · mouse · bulb · content · rush · file · scale

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ground — the earth
  8. content — happy
  9. file — a line of people
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — to fit
  13. scale — in music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. file — a document
  17. suit — in cards
  18. scale — size or range
  19. file — a tool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ground — crushed
  22. content — the amount
  23. ground — a position
  24. mouse — for a computer

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