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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · lie · bay · fan · toast · fine · club · squash

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. club — for golf
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. degree — an amount
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fine — all right
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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