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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. last — finally
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. last — final
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. staff — employees
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. band — a music group
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. last — to go on
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a ring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — a stick
  24. band — a rubber band

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