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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: coach · bulb · object · cap · ball · file · rush · cell

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. cap — a hat
  5. object — an aim
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. object — to protest
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cell — in biology
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cap — a lid
  18. file — a document
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — a thing
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ball — a dance
  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