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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: date · race · season · pop · plane · mark · root · wave

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. race — humankind
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pop — music
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mark — a trace
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. pop — soda
  15. season — in sport
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — a grade
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pop — to visit
  21. season — of the year
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. date — on the calendar

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