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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 · spell · suit · dip · bat · bore · ruler

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spell — letters
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — the animal
  7. spell — a short time
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. spell — magic
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — in cards

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