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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. bore — to drill
  11. roll — a cake
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a list
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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