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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. court — for sport
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bore — to drill
  7. court — of law
  8. current — happening now
  9. club — for golf
  10. spell — letters
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. spell — magic
  16. bore — to tire
  17. court — of a king
  18. club — a group
  19. current — electric
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — of water

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