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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · stand · current · bulb · bowl · wound · kick · dip

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wound — an injury
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. current — of water
  22. stand — to bear
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kick — with a leg

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