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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: deal · object · date · toast · shower · bay · branch · plane

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — to protest
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. branch — a division
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. date — the fruit
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — an aim
  14. shower — to wash
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — rain
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. object — a thing
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. toast — bread

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