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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: craft · squash · pound · fine · toast · stock · mine · mug

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. fine — all right
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. toast — bread
  13. mine — for digging
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. squash — to crush
  17. craft — boats
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mug — a face
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stock — shares
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mug — to rob

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