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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. season — in sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — a list
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — there
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. season — of the year
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bulb — for light
  21. present — the time now
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a cake
  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