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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. race — the arms race
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. race — humankind
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. race — a contest
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. temple — side of the head

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