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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: spell · bulb · firm · leaves · spring · sharp · temple · wave

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. firm — steady
  6. spell — magic
  7. spring — the season
  8. bulb — for light
  9. spell — a short time
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spring — a coil
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spell — letters
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. firm — a company
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. firm — decided
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — of the sea

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