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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 · nail · band

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

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. band — a music group
  3. squash — to crush
  4. deal — to handle
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. firm — a company
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fall — to drop
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fall — the season
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a ring
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. squash — the sport
  23. firm — steady
  24. toast — bread

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