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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — to rob
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rest — a break
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mug — a face
  16. rest — what's left
  17. toast — bread
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rest — what's left

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