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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. capital — a city
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — clothes
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. content — the amount
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ball — a great time
  18. content — happy
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. capital — money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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