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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: current · bowl · toast · fan · lie · bank · date · land

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. lie — to recline
  3. land — to come down
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — a country
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. land — ground
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. date — the fruit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. current — of water
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. current — electric
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. toast — bread

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