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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. toast — bread
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bank — for money
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rash — a series
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fine — high quality
  9. scale — in music
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lean — to bend
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bank — for money
  17. fine — all right
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lean — thin
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rash — hasty
  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