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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: band · object · date · plane · stem · spell · swing · bark

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. spell — magic
  7. object — a thing
  8. band — a ring
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. band — a music group
  11. object — an aim
  12. spell — a short time
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. object — to protest
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bark — to shout
  17. date — the fruit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. spell — letters
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. swing — music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. swing — in golf

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