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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: pound · lean · date · squash · plane · charge · key · band

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pound — a weight
  9. charge — a price
  10. key — in music
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. band — a music group
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. squash — the sport
  17. band — a ring
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lean — thin
  22. charge — in control
  23. plane — a tool
  24. band — a rubber band

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