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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: race · stand · perch · cabinet · temple · nail · bulb · craft

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. race — a contest
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. race — humankind
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. race — the arms race
  24. perch — for a bird

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