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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · stand · bulb · wake · fine · game · temple · lie

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. fine — high quality
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fine — all right
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wake — a trail

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