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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bank — for money
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. object — a thing
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — the amount
  10. bank — of a river
  11. squash — to crush
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. squash — the sport
  14. rule — government
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rule — a law
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. content — happy
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — clothes
  23. object — to protest
  24. suit — to fit

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