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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bulb — for light
  5. file — a line of people
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. craft — boats
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. file — a document
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. file — a tool
  24. craft — a skill

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