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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: squash · stand · toast · jam · fork · bowl · mine · cap

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mine — for digging
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cap — of ice
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. toast — bread
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. squash — to crush
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. cap — a lid

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