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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
468
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: mine · plane · bowl · patient · date · cap · wake · swing

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wake — a trail
  4. swing — music
  5. mine — for digging
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. date — the fruit
  8. plane — a tool
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cap — a hat
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mine — belonging to me

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