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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: temple · cell · rush · bulb · sharp · coach · mark · racket

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cell — in biology
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — to pay attention

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