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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: rock · content · nail · root · toast · squash · coach · fine

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — bread
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. root — of a plant
  10. rock — a stone
  11. content — happy
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. squash — to crush
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. content — the amount
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. nail — for a hammer

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