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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rest — a break
  4. rash — a series
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bank — for money
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. toast — bread
  18. date — on the calendar

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