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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. game — a match
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rash — hasty
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rash — a series
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — bread
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bulb — for light
  24. game — wild animals

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