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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: fork · date · mine · rush · cell · suit · toast · perch

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. mine — for digging
  8. fork — in a road
  9. suit — in cards
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cell — a phone
  21. toast — bread
  22. cell — in biology
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. date — on the calendar

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