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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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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: deal · mate · mouse · race · bear · clip · bulb · temple

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bulb — for light
  3. race — a contest
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. deal — to handle
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bulb — for light
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. race — humankind
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. clip — to cut
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. clip — for paper
  24. mate — to breed

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