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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: file · pitcher · pop · lean · mate · dip · toast · cue

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. file — a document
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pop — soda
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. file — a line of people
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pop — to visit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — a signal
  16. file — a tool
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mate — a friend
  19. toast — bread
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lean — thin
  23. pop — music
  24. cue — a hint

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