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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: temple · shower · club · rash · coach · craft · mouse · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rash — hasty
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rash — a series
  5. club — a group
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. club — for dancing
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. shower — to wash
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. shower — rain

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