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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. craft — boats
  4. fall — the season
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bass — low music
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. race — humankind
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. race — a contest
  22. bulb — for light
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — of the leg

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