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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: club · toast · track · foot · perch · saw · present · date

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. track — a path
  4. present — there
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. present — a gift
  7. club — for dancing
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. perch — the fish
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. track — a song
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. track — to keep track
  16. foot — a measure
  17. saw — the tool
  18. date — the fruit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. present — the time now
  21. club — a group
  22. toast — bread
  23. club — for golf
  24. saw — the tool

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