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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rock — a stone
  3. prune — to trim
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. roll — a list
  9. rock — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bulb — of a plant

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