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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
468
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: object · bark · last · toast · bank · patient · mate · rush

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. last — final
  3. last — finally
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bank — for money
  8. last — to go on
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bank — of a river
  15. object — a thing
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. toast — bread
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rush — hurry
  22. object — an aim
  23. bark — to shout
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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