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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: patient · date · plane · rest · present · rush · bound · hand

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — a tool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rush — hurry
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bound — tied together
  14. present — the time now
  15. bound — certain
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rest — a break

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