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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: plane · date · perch · patient · tear · wake · suit · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. date — the fruit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. tear — from crying
  12. spell — a short time
  13. plane — a tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. tear — to rip
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wake — a trail
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. plane — an aircraft

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