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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bulb · plane · racket · can · chest · wax · temple · bat

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chest — a box
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bat — the animal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. plane — a tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chest — of your body
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. can — a tin

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