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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 116 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 · rule · rock · band · content · mouse · staff · fall

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a music group
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — the season
  10. band — a ring
  11. content — happy
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rule — a law
  20. bulb — for light
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fall — to drop
  24. content — the amount

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