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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: leaves · file · bulb · bay · bass · bore · game · saw

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. file — a document
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bass — low music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. file — a line of people
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bass — the fish
  14. file — a tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. game — a match
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bore — gave birth

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