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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
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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: snap · hide · sharp · mouse · date · toast · squash · can

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. toast — bread
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. date — the fruit

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