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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: dip · bowl · plane · date · stick · drill · leaves · fork

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. plane — a tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. dip — to sink
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. date — the fruit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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