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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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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: track · mate · lean · bulb · coach · pit · row · temple

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a friend
  4. track — to keep track
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mate — a partner
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — for light
  9. row — to paddle
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. row — a line
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pit — in a race
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. lean — thin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. track — a path

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