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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: bulb · lean · can · cap · mouse · field · temple · present

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lean — to bend
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. field — a subject
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. present — there
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. field — for sport
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lean — thin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — the animal

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