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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. scale — size or range
  6. toast — bread
  7. object — an aim
  8. last — to go on
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mug — to rob
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. last — finally
  14. scale — in music
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bear — the animal
  21. last — final
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bear — the animal

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