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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. current — electric
  3. face — to confront
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. current — of water
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. current — happening now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bulb — for light

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