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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cap — of ice
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bass — the fish
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bass — low music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. dip — to sink
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. jam — in traffic

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