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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. present — a gift
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bound — obliged
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. present — the time now
  17. kick — in football
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. kick — a thrill

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