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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. net — for catching
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cue — a signal
  11. net — in sport
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. net — after costs
  21. tube — a container
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. toast — bread
  24. tube — in a tire

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