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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: ball · date · patient · suit · field · plane · can · cabinet

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. can — a tin
  6. field — farmland
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. field — for sport
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. field — a subject
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ball — a dance
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — clothes
  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