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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: rush · bulb · temple · deal · content · fan · rock · date

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — for light
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rush — hurry
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rock — music
  14. content — happy
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fan — to cool the air

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