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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: swing · temple · racket · bass · plane · bore · date · patient

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bass — the fish
  3. swing — music
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. swing — in golf
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bass — low music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. swing — to play on
  21. plane — a tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — to tire

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