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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.

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: cell · foot · mark · bulb · file · bass · mouse · cabinet

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. mark — a grade
  10. file — a document
  11. bulb — for light
  12. file — a tool
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bulb — for light
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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