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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mate — a partner
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mate — to breed
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a cake
  9. track — a song
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. date — the fruit
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mate — a friend
  16. track — a path
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. roll — a list
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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