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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 · cue · face · temple · straw · nail · spell · season

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — in sport
  4. spell — letters
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. season — of the year
  9. cue — a hint
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — for pool
  15. face — to confront
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cue — a signal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. face — part of the head
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. spell — magic
  24. temple — a place of worship

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