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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: rock · plane · deal · bay · object · date · land · content

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. land — a country
  3. object — to protest
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. land — ground
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rock — music
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. land — to come down
  12. rock — a stone
  13. date — the fruit
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. object — a thing
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. deal — to handle
  21. plane — a tool
  22. content — the amount
  23. object — an aim
  24. content — happy

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