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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — for light
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. scale — in music
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stem — to come from
  21. scale — size or range
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pitch — a sports field

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