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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: bear · temple · bowl · bound · bulb · trunk · arm · mug

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bound — obliged
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — to rob
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mug — a face
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bear — the animal

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