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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
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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: date · bay · bear · fan · plane · track · fall · wake

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fall — the season
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wake — a trail
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fall — to drop
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bear — the animal
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. track — a song
  24. wake — before a funeral

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