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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · race · game · bulb · perch · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. race — humankind
  3. game — a match
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. race — a contest
  12. game — wild animals
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bound — obliged
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bound — tied together
  18. 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