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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: temple · spell · lie · bulb · deal · swing · bear · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — magic
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. swing — music
  13. spell — letters
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — in golf
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spell — a short time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. swing — to play on
  24. deal — an agreement

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