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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: mate · bowl · can · firm · toast · rest · sharp · board

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. firm — decided
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — a company
  9. board — to get on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. firm — steady
  16. can — a tin
  17. mate — a friend
  18. toast — bread
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mate — to breed

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