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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: cue · pit · temple · plane · bay · bank · bowl · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bank — for money
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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