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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · tube · cue · toast · game · jam · wave · date

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. game — a match
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. tube — a container
  7. game — wild animals
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. object — an aim
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. date — the fruit
  19. tube — the underground
  20. toast — bread
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. object — to protest

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