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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · wave · tube · lash · pitch · leaves · spell · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. spell — letters
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. spell — magic
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — a container
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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