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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: pass · dip · pit · court · date · bulb · staff · temple

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. court — of law
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pass — a permit
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. court — for sport
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — in a race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bulb — for light
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. court — of a king
  24. pit — a hole

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