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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: dip · plane · leaves · firm · kid · track · pass · date

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. dip — to sink
  7. date — the fruit
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pass — a permit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — a tool
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — a path
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. firm — a company
  24. leaves — of a tree

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