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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 · leaves · bulb · swing · fork · vault · sharp · club

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. vault — a safe
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fork — in a road
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. club — a group
  7. swing — in golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. club — for golf
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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