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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. prune — to trim
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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