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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rule — a law
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rule — government
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tube — a container
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bulb — for light
  21. swing — music
  22. mark — a grade
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — a trace

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