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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: bark · squash · toast · deal · tube · dip · firm · rash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. firm — decided
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. deal — to handle
  7. tube — a container
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. firm — steady
  11. squash — to crush
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rash — hasty
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. firm — a company
  20. toast — bread
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bark — to shout
  23. tube — the underground
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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