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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: patient · club · season · plane · swing · date · wax · drill

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. season — of the year
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. club — for golf
  10. season — in sport
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. drill — army training
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. date — the fruit
  16. drill — a practice
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. club — a group
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. club — for dancing
  24. patient — a sick person

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