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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: cell · bulb · ground · temple · toast · face · staff · bowl

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cell — in biology
  5. toast — bread
  6. ground — the earth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ground — a position
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — a phone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. face — to confront
  15. bulb — for light
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. face — to point toward
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. staff — employees

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