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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
468
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: squash · can · racket · scale · tube · rock · toast · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. 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. dip — to dunk
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. scale — in music
  5. squash — the sport
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rock — a stone
  8. toast — bread
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — a container
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rock — music
  14. squash — to crush
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — to sink
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. can — a tin
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. 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