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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: fork · roll · present · cue · scale · object · row · toast

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. scale — size or range
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. present — the time now
  10. object — a thing
  11. cue — a hint
  12. toast — bread
  13. present — a gift
  14. row — a line
  15. present — there
  16. cue — for pool
  17. object — an aim
  18. scale — in music
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — in a road
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. roll — a cake

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