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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bank — for money
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. club — for golf
  5. mate — a partner
  6. toast — bread
  7. club — for dancing
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — there
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — a group
  16. present — the time now
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. present — a gift

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