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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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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: bank · rest · club · fall · toast · bear · land · patient

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — the animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. land — to come down
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rest — a break
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. club — a group
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fall — the season
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. club — for golf
  15. land — ground
  16. toast — bread
  17. land — a country
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bank — for money
  24. fall — to drop

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