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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mate — a partner
  9. date — the fruit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. toast — bread
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fall — the season
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bank — for money
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bank — for money

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