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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: rash · pass · cue · swing · object · toast · mine · saw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cue — a hint
  4. toast — bread
  5. pass — a permit
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mine — for digging
  8. saw — the tool
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rash — a series
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rash — hasty
  16. object — a thing
  17. saw — the tool
  18. object — to protest
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. swing — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cue — for pool

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