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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. march — the month
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. root — the cause
  11. march — the month
  12. root — of a word
  13. march — music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rule — a law
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rule — government
  24. dip — to sink

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