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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: face · lash · rule · bulb · mouse · nail · pitcher · temple

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. face — to point toward
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — a law
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rule — government
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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