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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: toast · mouse · lean · mine · squash · root · bark · charge

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lean — thin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. charge — a price
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. root — of a word
  14. toast — bread
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lean — to bend
  19. charge — in control
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. squash — the sport
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bark — to shout

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