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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: squash · bank · ball · mate · snap · toast

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a dance
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. snap — to click
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — to breed
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. toast — bread
  10. mate — a friend
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mate — a partner
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bank — of a river
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. ball — a great time

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