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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.

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: march · temple · rock · coach · lean · bulb · content · safe

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — thin
  4. content — happy
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rock — music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. march — music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rock — a stone
  18. content — the amount
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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