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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · bulb · clip · pound · club · suit · object · date

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. clip — for paper
  9. suit — clothes
  10. object — a thing
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. clip — a video
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — to sink
  19. clip — to cut
  20. date — the fruit
  21. object — to protest
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. club — for dancing

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