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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.

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: bear · file · toast · staff · rock · face · ground · squash

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — a position
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. face — part of the head
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. file — a tool
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. file — a document
  14. squash — the sport
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. staff — employees
  18. file — a line of people
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rock — music
  24. staff — employees

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