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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
468
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: season · mouse · last · wound · toast · sharp · chair · bank

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. last — final
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bank — of a river
  6. toast — bread
  7. sharp — clever
  8. season — of the year
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wound — an injury
  13. chair — a leader
  14. season — in sport
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. last — finally
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. last — to go on
  20. bank — for money
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mouse — the animal

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