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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. present — a gift
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. toast — bread
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. present — the time now
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bass — low music
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. present — there
  18. racket — for tennis

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