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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: mark · temple · root · can · march · fork · bulb · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. march — the month
  3. root — the cause
  4. can — to be able to
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. root — of a word
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. can — a tin
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fork — in a road
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — of a plant
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mark — a grade
  23. can — a tin
  24. bat — in an idiom

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