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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: capital · date · fan · roll · deal · racket · plane · fine

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. capital — money
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. deal — to handle
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fine — all right
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. roll — a cake
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — a city
  24. racket — for tennis

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