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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bulb — for light
  4. club — a group
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. club — for dancing
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. date — the fruit
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a great time
  14. race — a contest
  15. foot — a measure
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bulb — for light
  18. race — humankind
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. club — for golf
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — for measuring

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