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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — the time now
  4. tear — from crying
  5. staff — a stick
  6. spring — a coil
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — the season
  10. present — there
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. present — a gift
  14. staff — employees
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spring — of water
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — completely

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