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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. last — finally
  4. rest — what's left
  5. squash — to crush
  6. last — final
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. squash — the sport
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rest — a break
  14. suit — clothes
  15. game — a match
  16. date — the fruit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bulb — for light
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rest — what's left
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. last — to go on
  24. game — wild animals

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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