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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. deal — to handle
  3. toast — bread
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rock — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. last — to go on
  10. club — a group
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. club — for golf
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. last — final
  18. content — the amount
  19. firm — decided
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. content — happy
  22. rock — a stone
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — a company

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