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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: temple · net · bat · cue · trunk · bay · wake · bulb

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wake — a trail
  4. net — after costs
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — in sport
  14. cue — for pool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — for catching

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