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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: squash · toast · firm · mate · rock · fork · bore · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mate — to breed
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — help
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mate — a partner
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rock — music
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. firm — a company
  21. mate — a friend
  22. toast — bread
  23. firm — decided
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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