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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: spell · date · wave · key · plane · rash · deal · land

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. land — a country
  4. key — in music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. spell — magic
  7. rash — hasty
  8. land — to come down
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. land — ground
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. date — the fruit

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