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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cue — a hint
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. spring — of water
  5. mate — a partner
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mate — to breed
  11. land — a country
  12. spring — the season
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mate — a friend
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. plane — a tool
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — a monarch

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