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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: row · date · rash · bay · nail · bowl · plane · wound

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. row — a line
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rash — a series
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. row — to paddle
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rash — hasty

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