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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: patient · mate · snap · spell · plane · key · squash · bulb

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mate — to breed
  8. snap — to click
  9. key — the most important part
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. spell — a short time
  13. key — in music
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — magic
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. spell — letters
  24. squash — the vegetable

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