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

Word bank: race · plane · season · club · fall · bulb · cap · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. race — the arms race
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. race — a contest
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bulb — for light
  8. season — of the year
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fall — to drop
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cap — a hat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. season — in sport
  15. fall — the season
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — a group
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fall — to drop
  23. race — humankind
  24. season — to add flavour

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