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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: present · ground · squash · wake · calf · toast · charge · ruler

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ground — the earth
  4. present — there
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. charge — in control
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. squash — the sport
  16. toast — bread
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ground — crushed
  19. present — the time now
  20. charge — electricity
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. present — a gift
  24. wake — a trail

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