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

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. mug — a face
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. club — for golf
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. club — a group
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wind — moving air
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wind — to turn a key

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