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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. club — for golf
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rash — a series
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rash — hasty
  24. club — a group

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