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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: last · can · dip · rash · file · toast · patient · pitcher

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — final
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. file — a tool
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. file — a document
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. last — finally
  18. dip — to sink
  19. file — a line of people
  20. can — to be able to
  21. toast — bread
  22. rash — a series
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rash — hasty

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