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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. track — a path
  19. tear — to rip
  20. track — a song
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mark — a grade
  24. track — to keep track

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