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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: spring · ruler · temple · bulb · fork · craft · safe · present

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spring — a coil
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — the season
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. craft — boats
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fork — in a road
  24. present — there

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