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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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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 · squash · toast · pop · wake · stand · craft · pass

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. toast — bread
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pop — music
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pop — soda
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pass — a permit
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pop — to visit
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wake — a trail

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