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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: ruler · mark · bulb · leaves · club · date · stick · bay

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. club — for golf
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — a grade
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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