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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: date · mug · mark · plane · mine · suit · fine · chair

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mark — a trace
  5. chair — a leader
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mug — a cup
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — all right
  13. date — the fruit
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mug — a face
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fine — high quality
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mine — for digging
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mug — to rob

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