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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · ball · patient · rest · land · spring · dip · toast

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rest — what's left
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. land — ground
  14. spring — of water
  15. club — for dancing
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ball — a great time
  18. land — to come down
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ball — a dance
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. land — a country
  24. rest — a break

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