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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: mine · toast · rest · date · club · file · suit · firm

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mine — for digging
  4. file — a line of people
  5. club — for golf
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. file — a tool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. file — a document
  13. firm — a company
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rest — a break
  18. suit — in cards
  19. club — a group
  20. firm — steady
  21. toast — bread
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — clothes
  24. firm — decided

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