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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. bank — for money
  3. band — a ring
  4. club — a group
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. date — the fruit
  8. club — for golf
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. band — a music group
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — in cards
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. toast — bread
  15. club — for dancing
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bank — for money
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pound — a weight
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bank — of a river

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