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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: plane · spell · fine · stick · toast · rush · chest · date

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. spell — letters
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rush — hurry
  6. date — the fruit
  7. toast — bread
  8. plane — a tool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spell — magic
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chest — a box
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. plane — in geometry

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