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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: plane · squash · ball · date · bank · rest · stem · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rest — a break
  15. plane — a tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bank — for money
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ball — a dance
  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