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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 · nail · toast · present · court · foot · stem · calf

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. squash — the sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. court — for sport
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. toast — bread
  10. foot — a measure
  11. court — of a king
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stem — to come from
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. court — of law
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. toast — the most admired

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