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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 · spell · prune · tube · toast · rash · date · rest

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. rash — hasty
  3. prune — to trim
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rash — a series
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. rest — a break
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. prune — to trim
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — bread
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. spell — letters
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. plane — a tool

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