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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: march · lash · toast · rock · bowl · mug · land · cue

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. toast — bread
  7. cue — a hint
  8. land — to come down
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mug — a face
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cue — for pool
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mug — a cup
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rock — music
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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