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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — music
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bulb — for light
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. object — a thing
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. kid — to tease
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. kid — child
  24. object — an aim

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