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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.

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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: bore · squash · kid · dip · firm · wave · plane · date

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. kid — child
  3. bore — to tire
  4. firm — decided
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — a company
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. squash — to crush
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. kid — to tease
  24. dip — to dunk

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