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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — to rob
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. key — in music
  7. content — happy
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. key — for a lock
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fall — the season
  14. content — the amount
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fall — to drop
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — a cup
  21. key — the most important part
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fall — to drop
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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