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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: mate · rash · mouse · rush · bulb · game · temple · ball

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a dance
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mate — to breed
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rash — a series
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a match
  13. mate — a partner
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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