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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
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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: lash · temple · cabinet · hand · bulb · bear · ball · deal

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hand — help
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — in cards

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