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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 120 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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — for light
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. court — of law
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. court — of a king
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. trunk — of a car

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