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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · kick · suit · wake · rest · season · date · plane

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. suit — to fit
  6. season — in sport
  7. land — ground
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. suit — clothes
  11. date — the fruit
  12. land — to come down
  13. season — of the year
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. kick — in football
  20. land — a country
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rest — a break
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rest — what's left

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