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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · toast · fine · date · cabinet · clip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — to cut
  3. fine — all right
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. toast — bread
  6. clip — a video
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. date — the fruit
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fine — high quality
  16. clip — for paper
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. deal — to handle

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