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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
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: toast · cabinet · fall · net · land · staff · wax · present

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. staff — a stick
  4. land — a country
  5. present — a gift
  6. staff — employees
  7. present — the time now
  8. net — for catching
  9. fall — to drop
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wax — to grow
  13. net — after costs
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. land — ground
  16. fall — to drop
  17. staff — employees
  18. fall — the season
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — there
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. toast — bread
  23. land — to come down
  24. wax — for sculpting

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