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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 · key · foot · wave · wake · cue · leaves · field

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. present — there
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. present — the time now
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wake — a trail
  11. foot — a measure
  12. field — farmland
  13. cue — for pool
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. cue — a signal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. key — in music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. present — a gift
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. key — the most important part

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