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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: toast · bowl · can · perch · deal · squash · bark · face

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. toast — bread
  5. bark — to shout
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. squash — the sport
  15. perch — the fish
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. face — to confront
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. squash — to crush

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