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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: board · calf · toast · present · racket · shower · squash · rash

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. shower — rain
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — a gift
  6. toast — bread
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. board — a committee
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. board — to get on
  14. shower — to wash
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. present — there
  20. squash — to crush
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — the time now
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. calf — a young animal

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