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

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. season — in sport
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bulb — for light
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. face — to confront
  17. drill — a practice
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fine — all right
  20. season — of the year
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fork — to eat with

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