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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: pit · chip · mark · temple · ruler · spring · bear · bulb

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bear — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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