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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. land — a country
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. dip — to sink
  6. date — the fruit
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lean — thin
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. last — to go on
  13. land — ground
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. land — to come down
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bulb — for light
  24. last — final

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