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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
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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: plane · suit · dip · mate · stick · roll

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. plane — a tool
  8. suit — clothes
  9. roll — a list
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mate — a friend
  15. suit — in cards
  16. roll — a cake
  17. dip — to sink
  18. plane — an aircraft

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