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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: shower · bulb · charge · temple · tube · bowl · lean · chip

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — a container
  5. chip — for betting
  6. shower — to wash
  7. charge — a price
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. charge — in control
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. tube — the underground
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — to eat
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — rain
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tube — in a tire

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