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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bulb — for light
  6. content — happy
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bulb — for light
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — of a river
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bank — for money
  21. lie — to recline
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — an untruth

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