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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.

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: bound · temple · pitcher · fall · tube · key · fork · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fork — in a road
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fall — to drop
  9. key — for a lock
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. fall — to drop
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. tube — a container
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fall — the season
  24. tube — the underground

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