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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: toast · wake · bulb · stand · hand · track · can · temple

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wake — a trail
  6. can — to be able to
  7. hand — in cards
  8. track — a path
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. track — to keep track
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hand — help
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. track — a song
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — the most admired
  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