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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · bear · saw · rash · bulb · rule · mark · toast

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rash — a series
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. toast — bread
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rule — a law
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bear — the animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rule — government
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. date — the fruit

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