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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: toast · face · mark · date · deal · dip · plane · game

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. dip — to sink
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. face — to confront
  7. mark — a grade
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. game — a match
  12. mark — a trace
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. deal — to handle
  17. toast — bread
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. deal — an agreement

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