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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: bound · game · temple · bulb · hide · kick · coach · firm

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. firm — steady
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — decided
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — in football
  17. firm — a company
  18. bound — tied together
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. game — a match
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — certain
  24. game — wild animals

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