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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: last · bear · mouse · squash · toast · bay · fork · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. squash — to crush
  5. last — finally
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. last — to go on
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. last — final
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. toast — bread
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — the animal

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