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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 · saw · cabinet · pitcher · pass · bulb · ground · toast

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ground — crushed
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. toast — bread
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pass — a permit

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