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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: temple · bore · lean · bulb · bay · mark · field · content

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mark — a trace
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. field — farmland
  16. content — the amount
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. field — a subject
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. content — happy
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. field — for sport
  24. temple — a place of worship

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