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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bulb — for light
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. drill — army training
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mate — a partner
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pop — music
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — soda
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bear — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bulb — of a plant

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