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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: date · plane · bay · band · patient · bulb · rash · fork

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. band — a ring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rash — hasty
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bay — a horse colour

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