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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 120 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: bay · bulb · pit · ball · temple · cap · prune · ground

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ground — a position
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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