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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: temple · bulb · lean · vault · bat · face · staff · present

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — there
  3. face — to confront
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — a safe
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. lean — thin
  24. bat — for baseball

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