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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fall — to drop
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fall — the season
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stand — to bear
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — on your feet

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