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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. club — for golf
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ground — the earth
  8. file — a document
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. ground — a position
  13. pit — in a race
  14. club — a group
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. court — of law
  18. pit — a hole
  19. club — for dancing
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. ground — crushed
  24. nail — on a finger

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