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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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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: wake · fall · bay · root · tube · suit · date · plane

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. date — the fruit
  3. root — the cause
  4. fall — to drop
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. tube — a container
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fall — to drop
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. root — of a plant
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a word
  24. suit — in cards

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