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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: calf · jam · cabinet · mine · mark · plane · deal · toast

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. toast — bread
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mine — for digging
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. deal — to handle
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mark — a grade
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. calf — of the leg
  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