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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rash — a series
  12. face — to point toward
  13. land — ground
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rash — hasty
  20. land — to come down
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ball — a great time
  23. face — to confront
  24. land — a country

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