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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
468
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: sharp · toast · branch · present · cue · pitcher · kick · plane

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. kick — in football
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. branch — a division
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. toast — bread
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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