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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 · pass · bulb · arm · net · content · march · mouse

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. file — a document
  7. march — the month
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. file — a tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. net — after costs
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. march — music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — happy
  22. march — the month
  23. content — the amount
  24. pass — to spend time

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