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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.

Make a worksheet

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: row · bulb · club · ball · fine · ruler · date · capital

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a line
  6. capital — a city
  7. club — a group
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — all right
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fine — high quality
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bulb — for light
  17. capital — money
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. row — to paddle
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. date — the fruit
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. ball — a great time

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