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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: saw · coach · club · bulb · lean · dip · can · temple

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — thin
  4. club — for golf
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. can — to be able to
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. club — a group
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lean — to rest against

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