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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rock — music
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. craft — boats
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. craft — a skill
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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