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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: bulb · rush · sharp · craft · dip · saw · temple · mine

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mine — for digging
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bulb — for light
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. craft — boats
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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