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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.

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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bat — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — for catching
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. net — in sport
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. net — after costs
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bulb — for light

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