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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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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: date · temple · kid · safe · game · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. date — the fruit
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. game — a match
  16. kid — to tease
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kid — child

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