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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spring — a coil
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. spring — the season
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. board — to get on
  16. wake — a trail
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spring — of water
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. board — a committee
  23. bulb — for light
  24. game — a kind of play

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