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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: toast · ruler · club · pound · bear · pass · stock · date

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. club — for dancing
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. club — for golf
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stock — shares
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. club — a group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. toast — bread
  23. stock — goods
  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