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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 · key · pound · calf · toast · hide · mate · content

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — the amount
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. squash — the sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. toast — bread
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — happy
  11. key — the most important part
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. squash — to crush
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. key — in music
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. key — for a lock

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