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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: rest · leaves · toast · safe · patient · date · wake · last

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. last — to go on
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rest — what's left
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. last — finally
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wake — a trail
  15. toast — bread
  16. last — final
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rest — what's left
  21. date — the fruit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rest — a break

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