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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 · plane · bass · scale · present · last · calf · wave

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. last — finally
  3. scale — size or range
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. plane — a tool
  7. scale — in music
  8. last — final
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. present — the time now
  16. last — to go on
  17. present — there
  18. bass — low music
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. present — a gift
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  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