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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: fine · row · temple · bound · mate · bulb · club · lie

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mate — a partner
  4. row — a line
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mate — a friend
  20. club — a group
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fine — all right
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bound — certain

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