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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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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: patient · date · plane · rest · present · rush

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rush — hurry
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. present — the time now
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rest — a break
  14. present — there
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. date — the fruit
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — a tool

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