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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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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: track · fan · bear · land · cue · toast · cap · net

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cap — of ice
  4. track — a path
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. net — for catching
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. track — a song
  13. toast — bread
  14. net — after costs
  15. bear — the animal
  16. net — in sport
  17. land — to come down
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. land — a country
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. land — ground

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