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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. shower — to wash
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — a trace
  12. suit — to fit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mark — a grade
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. shower — rain
  22. bulb — for light
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bulb — for light

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