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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 · date · fine · swing · ruler · bound · can · staff

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bound — obliged
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. date — the fruit
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. can — to be able to
  17. staff — a stick
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. swing — music
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. toast — bread
  24. swing — in golf

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