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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: temple · dip · bulb · last · charge · craft · tear · cue

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. craft — boats
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. last — final
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cue — a signal
  11. charge — a price
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tear — to rip
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cue — a hint
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. last — to go on
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. last — finally
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cue — for pool

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