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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: toast · object · cue · bat · track · bank · lean · rest

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. track — a song
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rest — a break
  6. object — an aim
  7. lean — thin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. object — a thing
  10. cue — a hint
  11. toast — bread
  12. object — to protest
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. track — a path
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cue — for pool
  23. toast — the most admired
  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