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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: hand · key · lean · bank · toast · rush · wake · cue

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. rush — hurry
  7. key — in music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bank — for money
  14. hand — help
  15. key — the most important part
  16. toast — bread
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — a hint
  21. hand — in cards
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. cue — a signal

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