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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: bowl · file · nail · tube · temple · present · capital · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. file — a line of people
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tube — a container
  8. bulb — for light
  9. capital — money
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. capital — a city
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. file — a tool
  21. present — there
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. file — a document
  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