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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
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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: toast · root · wave · plane · lean · rush · present · roll

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. toast — bread
  3. present — a gift
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. roll — a list
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. root — the cause
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. present — the time now
  16. roll — a cake
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. present — there
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. root — of a word
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. lean — to rest against

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