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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a dance
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. race — the arms race
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. scale — size or range
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. race — humankind
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. date — the fruit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. race — a contest
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in 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