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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · bore · squash · toast · scale · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. rock — music
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — to drill
  6. toast — bread
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. scale — size or range
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. toast — the most admired

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