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

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rock — a stone
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rock — music
  18. bowl — a football final

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