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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: suit · dip · date · bulb · court · last · spring · present

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — in cards
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. last — finally
  9. suit — clothes
  10. present — a gift
  11. court — of a king
  12. present — the time now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. last — final
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of law
  17. spring — a coil
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. court — for sport
  21. present — there
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. last — to go on

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