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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: bulb · pit · net · suit · mouse · staff · file · court

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — a stick
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pit — in a race
  6. court — of law
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. staff — employees
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. net — in sport
  13. court — of a king
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a document
  17. bulb — for light
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — after costs
  21. staff — employees
  22. net — for catching
  23. court — for sport
  24. bulb — for light

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