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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: bound · staff · toast · rest · rash · march · bear · sharp

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rash — a series
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. toast — bread
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. staff — employees
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rest — what's left
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rest — what's left
  20. march — music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. march — the month

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