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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bulb — for light
  5. field — for sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — soda
  8. field — a subject
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. field — farmland
  13. pop — music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pop — to visit

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