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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: present · rest · leaves · branch · date · firm · ball · toast

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — decided
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. present — there
  5. ball — a great time
  6. firm — steady
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. rest — what's left
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. firm — a company
  11. toast — bread
  12. rest — what's left
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. branch — a division
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ball — a dance
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rest — a break
  23. date — the fruit
  24. toast — the most admired

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