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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: pop · face · temple · fork · bulb · hand · row · bass

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. hand — in cards
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bass — the fish
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bass — low music
  13. face — to point toward
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. face — to confront
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. temple — a place of worship

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