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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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Word bank
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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: mine · board · kick · foot · squash · toast

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. kick — in football
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. board — a committee
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — a measure
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. toast — bread
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. squash — to crush

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