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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: wound · face · fan · bore · board · temple · vault · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. face — to confront
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bore — to drill
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bore — to tire
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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