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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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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: bulb · lie · pitch · temple · rest · bay · shower · calf

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rest — a break
  15. lie — to recline
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lie — an untruth

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