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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 · nail · bulb · pit · bear · tube · mine · vault

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. vault — a safe
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. tube — a container
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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