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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: pitch · craft · squash · toast · club · bay · bear · last

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. last — final
  5. toast — bread
  6. last — finally
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bear — the animal
  9. club — for golf
  10. pitch — completely
  11. craft — boats
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. squash — to crush
  18. last — to go on
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. craft — a skill
  21. club — a group
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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