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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: cue · plane · leaves · toast · swing · wave · game · march

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. swing — in golf
  3. march — music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. swing — music
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. toast — bread
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cue — a hint
  22. march — the month
  23. swing — to play on
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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