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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rest — a break
  6. staff — employees
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. face — to point toward
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. face — to confront
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. staff — employees

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