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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: drill · toast · ground · squash · present · object · firm · current

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. object — a thing
  4. drill — the tool
  5. object — to protest
  6. firm — steady
  7. ground — the earth
  8. drill — a practice
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. present — a gift
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. object — an aim
  15. ground — crushed
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. current — electric
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. drill — army training
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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