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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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. bulb — for light
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. current — of water
  8. land — ground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. land — a country
  12. bear — the animal
  13. capital — a city
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. land — to come down
  16. bulb — for light
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. current — electric
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. current — happening now

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