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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: fall · foot · toast · rest · content · cue · wave · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. content — happy
  11. cue — for pool
  12. branch — a division
  13. fall — the season
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. content — the amount
  19. toast — bread
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rest — a break
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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