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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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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: fine · rush · land · tear · temple · deal · mouse · bulb

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tear — from crying
  9. land — to come down
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. tear — to rip
  14. fine — all right
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fine — high quality
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — a country
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. land — ground

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