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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: mouse · field · bay · spring · bulb · temple · wave · pit

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. spring — the season
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. field — farmland
  10. pit — a hole
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. field — a subject
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pit — in a race
  15. spring — a coil
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. spring — of water
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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