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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: ball · fall · squash · toast · fine · stick · bark · current

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. toast — bread
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a dance
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. fall — the season
  8. bark — to shout
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — happening now
  14. squash — the sport
  15. current — electric
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. current — of water
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. ball — a great time

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