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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 · band · mate · firm · toast · dip · arm · pitch

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. firm — steady
  4. band — a music group
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mate — to breed
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mate — a friend
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. firm — a company
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. band — a ring
  23. toast — bread
  24. arm — part of the body

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