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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. squash — the vegetable
  2. mine — for digging
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. can — to be able to
  5. face — to point toward
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. face — part of the head
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. face — to confront
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — to crush
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mark — a grade
  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