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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.

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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: wind · race · bulb · lie · shower · temple · stick · wake

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. race — a contest
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wind — moving air
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. race — humankind
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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