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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cue · land · wake · present · toast · lean · bark · fine

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wake — a trail
  4. land — to come down
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. toast — bread
  10. land — a country
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. land — ground
  13. fine — all right
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. present — a gift
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. lean — thin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cue — a signal

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