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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: toast · bulb · last · stand · march · content · can · bank

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. march — the month
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. can — to be able to
  9. content — the amount
  10. last — to go on
  11. toast — bread
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — for money
  14. march — the month
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. content — happy
  21. bank — of a river
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. march — music

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