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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · rash · fall · scale · season · toast · wave · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rash — hasty
  3. cue — a hint
  4. season — of the year
  5. fall — the season
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rash — a series
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. cue — for pool
  14. toast — bread
  15. scale — in music
  16. dip — to sink
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. scale — size or range
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. fall — to drop

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