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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.

Make a worksheet

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: drill · game · object · spring · temple · bulb · vault · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. spring — of water
  3. cap — a lid
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — an aim
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spring — a coil
  9. cap — of ice
  10. object — to protest
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. object — a thing
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spring — the season
  23. drill — a practice
  24. game — a match

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