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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: present · date · rest · patient · rule · can · bark · toast

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. present — the time now
  3. can — a tin
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. present — there
  6. rule — government
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. toast — bread
  10. rest — a break
  11. rule — a law
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — a gift
  21. date — the fruit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. can — a tin
  24. bark — to shout

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