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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 120 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: rest · firm · mouse · pop · bulb · face · chest · temple

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — steady
  3. pop — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pop — soda
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rest — a break
  18. face — to confront
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chest — of your body
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. firm — decided
  24. rest — what's left

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