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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
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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 · dip · net · cap · drill · toast · hide · plane

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cap — a hat
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — the tool
  6. net — after costs
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. net — for catching
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. date — the fruit
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cap — a lid
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cap — of ice
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. toast — bread
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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