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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 will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. content — the amount
  5. squash — to crush
  6. content — happy
  7. roll — a list
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. roll — a cake
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. squash — the sport
  19. toast — bread
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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