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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 · leaves · rule · chest · present · key · temple · wax

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. key — for a lock
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chest — a box
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wax — to grow
  17. present — there
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. key — in music
  22. rule — government
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rule — a law

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