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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: bulb · track · temple · saw · club · present · bark · mate

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — there
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bark — to shout
  7. present — the time now
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. track — a path
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bulb — for light
  14. track — a song
  15. saw — the tool
  16. club — for golf
  17. present — a gift
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bulb — for light

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