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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cap — a lid
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. cap — a hat
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bass — low music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rock — a stone
  18. kick — in football
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mouse — the animal

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