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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — finally
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. last — to go on
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cap — a hat
  10. dip — to sink
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. march — the month
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pass — a permit
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. march — the month
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. last — final
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — music

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