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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 · tube · last · bark · can

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fine — high quality
  6. last — to go on
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — the underground
  12. toast — bread
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bark — to shout
  16. last — final
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — finally
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. tube — a container
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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