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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · squash · dip · firm · deal · toast

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. firm — decided
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. toast — bread
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. fall — to drop
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. dip — to sink
  18. deal — to handle

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