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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: wave · bay · bulb · branch · temple · chest · spell · squash

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. squash — to crush
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — the sport
  15. spell — magic
  16. branch — a division
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. chest — a box
  19. spell — letters
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. squash — the vegetable

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