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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mate — a friend
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — a short time
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mate — a partner
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. season — in sport
  14. can — to be able to
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. can — a tin
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. season — of the year
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. tube — a container

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