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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: press · net · lean · fall · toast · content · staff · cue

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. cue — a signal
  3. net — for catching
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lean — to bend
  6. net — in sport
  7. cue — for pool
  8. net — after costs
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fall — to drop
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. content — happy
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. staff — employees
  18. toast — bread
  19. staff — a stick
  20. content — the amount
  21. press — to push
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. staff — employees
  24. lean — thin

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