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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · mug · scale · present · bat · squash · season · toast

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. bat — the animal
  10. toast — bread
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. present — the time now
  13. squash — to crush
  14. present — there
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. present — a gift
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. mug — to rob
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. season — of the year

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