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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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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: stick · pound · temple · bat · racket · nail · bulb · mark

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bat — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pound — for dogs

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