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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.

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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 · ground · bank · charge · toast · mine · wave · bay

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in 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. cue — a signal
  2. toast — bread
  3. bank — for money
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — in control
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bank — for money
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. charge — a price
  21. ground — a position
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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