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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 ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. saw — the tool
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. file — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — to push
  9. object — a thing
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bulb — for light
  13. file — a line of people
  14. object — to protest
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. object — an aim
  18. stand — to bear
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. toast — bread
  21. file — a document
  22. saw — the tool
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stand — on your feet

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