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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: fall · plane · date · fine · spell · can · field · bowl

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. field — a subject
  3. fine — all right
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fall — the season
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. can — a tin
  13. fall — to drop
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fine — high quality
  16. can — to be able to
  17. field — farmland
  18. fall — to drop
  19. field — for sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. can — a tin
  24. bowl — a dish

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