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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: wake · staff · mark · scale · squash · deal · toast · bowl

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. squash — the sport
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. scale — size or range
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wake — a trail
  13. squash — to crush
  14. scale — in music
  15. staff — employees
  16. mark — a grade
  17. staff — employees
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. deal — to handle
  23. toast — bread
  24. deal — a big deal

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