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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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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: scale · bank · board · toast · rest · kick · cue · cap

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cap — a lid
  14. kick — in football
  15. cap — a hat
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a committee
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. board — to get on

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