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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. last — finally
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. toast — bread
  6. firm — decided
  7. bank — for money
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lean — thin
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. firm — steady
  21. bore — to drill
  22. firm — a company
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bore — gave birth

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