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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: leaves · rest · mate · temple · board · toast · saw · shower

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mate — to breed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — bread
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. shower — rain
  14. board — a committee
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. saw — the tool
  24. shower — to wash

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