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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — to keep track
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — the tool
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. track — a song
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. track — a path

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