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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: wind · cabinet · toast · rush · squash · drill · rock · firm

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. toast — bread
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. firm — steady
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. rush — hurry
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. rock — a stone
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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