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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hand — help
  5. spell — a short time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. spell — letters
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. hand — in cards
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lean — thin
  21. spell — magic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mouse — the animal
  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