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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. last — to go on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — a price
  7. last — finally
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bass — the fish
  16. charge — in control
  17. last — final
  18. object — an aim
  19. bound — tied together
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bound — certain
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — electricity

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