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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. bulb — for light
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. lean — thin
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. can — a tin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. can — a tin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. snap — to click
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. track — a song
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. can — to be able to
  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