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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: firm · pound · mouse · bulb · key · race · temple · ground

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. race — the arms race
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. firm — decided
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ground — a position
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. race — humankind
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — in music
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. firm — a company
  24. race — a contest

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