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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 120 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: lie · ball · dip · bulb · kid · temple · wake · press

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — for light
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — a trail
  19. kid — child
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. kid — to tease

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