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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: bulb · swing · date · scale · plane · mate · bark · cap

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. scale — size or range
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mate — a friend
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. swing — music
  15. scale — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cap — a lid
  21. swing — to play on
  22. date — the fruit
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cap — a hat

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