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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. toast — bread
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. chair — a leader
  23. hand — in cards
  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