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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: plane · spring · leaves · hide · patient · temple · bulb · cabinet

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spring — of water
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. plane — a tool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. spring — a coil
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. patient — a sick person

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