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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: stem · mug · key · ball · bulb · spell · temple · lean

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ball — a dance
  3. spell — magic
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mug — a face
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stem — to come from

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