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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: wind · toast · squash · safe · stem · dip · ball · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ball — a great time
  6. toast — bread
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. dip — to sink
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wind — moving air
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ball — a dance
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. squash — to crush
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. squash — the vegetable

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