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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: fine · plane · mug · date · land · track · toast · tube

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — a path
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. land — ground
  7. mug — to rob
  8. track — a song
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mug — a face
  14. date — the fruit
  15. toast — bread
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. fine — high quality
  19. tube — the underground
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. track — to keep track
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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