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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. drill — army training
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bound — certain
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — the tool

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