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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — in sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. tear — from crying
  5. season — of the year
  6. date — the fruit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. tear — to rip
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rock — music
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — a stone

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