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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: mug · mouse · mate · bay · file · bowl · game · vault

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. file — a document
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. game — wild animals
  17. file — a tool
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. file — a line of people
  22. game — a match
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bowl — a dish

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