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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: toast · scale · bore · wave · bank · cabinet · chest · suit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. scale — in music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chest — a box
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — for money
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chest — of your body
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. toast — bread
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bank — of a river
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wave — with your hand

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