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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. squash — to crush
  4. land — a country
  5. date — the fruit
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. land — ground
  11. staff — a stick
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. squash — the sport
  21. saw — the tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. toast — bread

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