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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mug — a cup
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bank — for money
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ground — a position
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ground — the earth
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. toast — bread
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. scale — in music
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mug — a face
  21. squash — the sport
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. arm — part of the body

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