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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: content · pit · date · bulb · game · craft · lie · mark

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. game — a match
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. craft — boats
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pit — in a race
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. content — the amount
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bulb — for light
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. date — on the calendar

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