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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 120 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: rash · plane · mate · calf · cell · wave · track · suit

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mate — a partner
  4. suit — clothes
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rash — a series
  12. track — a song
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cell — a phone
  15. track — a path
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cell — in biology
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. calf — a young animal

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