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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rush — hurry
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ground — the earth
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bound — tied together
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bass — low music
  20. tube — the underground
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bulb — for light

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