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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. court — of law
  10. ball — a dance
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — of water
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bear — 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