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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: plane · pit · can · deal · ground · snap · arm · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ground — a position
  4. plane — a tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pit — a hole
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to click
  9. pit — in a race
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ground — crushed
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ground — the earth
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. date — the fruit
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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