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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. board — to get on
  7. object — a thing
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fall — the season
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. object — to protest
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. date — the fruit
  22. object — an aim
  23. board — a committee
  24. kick — in football

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