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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: pop · wave · row · present · toast · kick · fan · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — music
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. last — final
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. toast — bread
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pop — soda
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kick — in football
  22. present — a gift
  23. last — finally
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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