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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: bear · rash · row · mate · toast · firm · club · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rash — a series
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. firm — steady
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — for golf
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bear — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. club — a group
  14. firm — decided
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. firm — a company
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. mate — a friend
  22. row — a line
  23. bear — the animal
  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