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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: rule · mouse · jam · bat · file · bay · mate · ball

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. file — a document
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. rule — a law
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rule — government
  21. file — a tool
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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