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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. capital — a city
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — the fruit
  23. capital — money
  24. leaves — of a tree

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