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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: present · suit · stand · bear · temple · bulb · cap · band

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — there
  6. band — a ring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. present — the time now
  16. cap — a hat
  17. band — a music group
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — a gift
  23. bear — the animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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