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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cell · calf · mate · pitcher · mouse · coach · march · bulb

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mate — a friend
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. march — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. march — the month
  21. cell — a phone
  22. march — the month
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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