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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — an aim
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. board — a committee
  13. object — to protest
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — to get on
  17. race — the arms race
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. race — a contest
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. race — humankind
  24. wave — with your hand

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