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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 120 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.

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: pit · bulb · object · stem · file · bass · mouse · mate

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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. mouse — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. object — an aim
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — low music
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. stem — to come from
  18. file — a line of people
  19. object — to protest
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. object — a thing

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