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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stock — goods
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stock — shares
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. roll — a list
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. roll — a cake
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tube — a container
  23. bore — to tire
  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