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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 · bark · last · tear · date · board · mouse · scale

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. tear — to rip
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. tear — from crying
  5. scale — in music
  6. board — to get on
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. tear — from crying
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. toast — bread
  19. last — to go on
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. date — on the calendar

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