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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: club · toast · safe · rash · object · mine · wound · march

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. march — music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. club — for golf
  15. march — the month
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. object — to protest
  21. march — the month
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rash — hasty
  24. club — a group

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