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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.

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: bay · cue · lean · toast · net · tube · present · rush

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. net — after costs
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. present — a gift
  6. cue — for pool
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lean — to bend
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lean — thin
  11. net — in sport
  12. present — there
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. cue — a hint
  15. tube — the underground
  16. toast — bread
  17. tube — a container
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — for catching
  24. present — the time now

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