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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: pit · rest · temple · safe · bulb · plane · clip · wax

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. clip — to cut
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. clip — a video
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. safe — a strongbox

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