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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: deal · roll · fan · leaves · net · toast · wave · bay

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. deal — to handle
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. net — after costs
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — a list
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. net — for catching
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wave — with your hand

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